Distribution of novae in height above the galactic plane

To test the hypothesis about the existence of two different subsystems of novae in the Galaxy, disk and bulge novae, we have constructed the spatial distribution of 64 novae in z coordinate. A large number of fast novae, believed to be disk novae, are at a considerable distance from the Galactic plane (up to z ～ 3700 pc), which cannot be explained by the photometric measurement errors. Slow novae, believed to be bulge novae, show a higher concentration to the Galactic plane (z ? 1700 pc). The application of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test has shown that the hypothesis of two populations is valid with a probability of 95.6%.     

Morphological analysis of open clusters’ properties: II. Relationships projected onto the galactic plane

A morphological analysis study of open clusters’ properties has been achieved for a sample of 160 UBVCCD open star clusters of approximately 128,000 stars near the galactic plane. The data was obtained and reduced from Tadross (2001) using the same reduction procedures, which makes this catalogue the largest homogeneous source of open clusters’ parameters.     

A local interstellar spectrum for galactic electrons

A heliopause spectrum at 122 AU from the Sun is presented for galactic electrons over an energy range from 1 MeV to 50 GeV that can be considered the lowest possible local interstellar spectrum (LIS). The focus of this work is on the spectral shape of the LIS below ∼1.0 GeV. The study is done by using a comprehensive numerical model for solar modulation in comparison with Voyager 1 observations at ∼112 AU from the Sun and PAMELA data at Earth. Below ∼1.0 GeV, this LIS exhibits a power law with E^{−(1.55 ± 0.05)}, where E is the kinetic energy of these electrons. However, reproducing the PAMELA electron spectrum averaged for 2009, requires a LIS with a different power law of the form E^{−(3.15 ± 0.05)} above ∼5 GeV. Combining the two power laws with a smooth transition from low to high energies yields a LIS over the full energy range that is relevant and applicable to the modulation of cosmic ray electrons in the heliosphere. The break occurs between ∼800 MeV and ∼2 GeV as a characteristic feature of this LIS. The power-law form below ∼1 GeV produces a challenge to the origin of these low energy galactic electrons. On the other hand, the results of this study can be used as a gauge for astrophysical modeling of the local interstellar spectrum for electrons.     

Distribution of classical cepheids in the galactic plane

Major spiral arms were traced from the distribution of long-period classical cepheids on the projected galactic plane. The position of these spiral features have been compared with those from other optical tracers such as H II regions and OB star groups. Also the galactic longitude distribution of classical cepheids and open clusters are compared.     

Scale length of the galactic thin disk

This paper presents an analysis of the first 2MASS (The Two Micron All Sky Survey) sampler data as observed at lower Galactic latitude in our Galaxy. These new near-infrared data provide insight into the structure of the thin disk of our Galaxy, The interpretation of star counts and color distributions of stars in the near-infrared with the synthetic stellar population model, gives strong evidence that the Galactic thin disk density scale length,h _R , is rather short (2.7 ± 0.1 kpc).     

A survey of recombination line emission from the galactic plane at 325 MHz

A survey of the H 272 α recombination line at 325 MHz has been made towards 53 directions in the galactic plane using the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT). 34 of these directions correspond to well-known Hn regions, 12 to SNRs and 6 to ‘blank’ areas selected so that the 5 GHz continuum is a minimum over the telescope beam of 2ℴ x 6 arcmin. Observing procedure and spectra of 47 sources towards which lines are detected are presented. Hydrogen recombination lines have been detected towards all the observed directions havingl <40ℴ. Carbon recombination lines are identified in 12 of the directions. The hydrogen line intensities are found to correlate well with the total continuum intensity (which includes the nonthermal galactic background) indicating that most of the lines arise due to stimulated emission by the background radiation. A preliminary discussion on the nature of the line-emitting regions is also presented.     

Imprints of spiral arms in the oxygen distribution over the galactic disc

A theory for the oxygen abundance radial distribution formation in the galactic disc of a spiral galaxy is developed. We take into account that the main sources of oxygen are Type II supernovae (SN II), the progenitors of which are massive short-lived stars strongly concentrated in the spiral arms. Hence oxygen is the most sensitive indicator of spiral arms' influence on galactic disc enrichment by heavy elements. Various models for the spiral density waves were analysed. We predict that the imprints in the oxygen radial distribution will enable us to distinguish between different models for spiral patterns. Among other parameters, the corotation radius happens to be one of the most important.     

Spatial distribution of high energy cosmic ray electrons perpendicular to the galactic plane

With the help of empirical data concerning the latitudinal distribution of galactic gamma rays the contribution of inverse Compton scattered gamma rays is calculated using various models concerning the distribution of high energy cosmic ray electrons perpendicular to the galactic plane. It is shown that gamma ray astronomy from regions with vanishing stellar and interstellar matter densities at energies greater than 100 MeV provides instructive information on the cosmic ray electron density. We find evidence for the existence of a broad galactic electron disk with a total thickness of at least 6.4 kpc. The uncertainties of the cosmic ray electron spectrum measurements above 100 GeV imply an additional uncertainty in the inverse Compton source function of at least a factor 6.     

On the origin of the galactic ridge recombination lines

Radio recombination lines are known to be observable at positions along the galactic ridge which are free of discrete continuum sources. Based on the results of a recent survey of H272α lines it is shown that most of the observed galactic ridge recombination lines can be explained as emission from outer low-density envelopes of normal Hn regions. The distribution of low-density ionized gas and discrete HII regions as a function of the distance from the galactic centre is also derived.     

Past and present metal abundance gradient in the galactic disc

A critical discussion of some determinations of metal abundance gradient in the galactic disc is presented with an attempt to homogenize the results related to local and large-scale gradients. A new estimation of the palaeogradient in intermediate and old disc population is presented. The gradient is found to depend on galactocentric distance, and to be nearly constant with time during the lifetime of the galactic disc.     

Cosmic-ray electrons in the galactic radio halo

It is shown from an account of the detailed behaviour of the spectra of the electrons in the process of their diffusion, and from energy losses, that there must exist an extensive radio-halo around the Galaxy, with a volume luminosity close to that of the disc. The nature of the dependence of the spectral index of the radiation on the direction of observation is elucidated. This dependence must be accounted for when separating radiations of the disk and halo with the aid of the method proposed by Webster.     

Local galactic evolution

The evolution of the Solar neighbourhood is followed using a unique, magnitude complete and kinematically unbiased sample of 14,000 F, G, and K dwarfs. Metallicity, age, space motion and galactic orbits have been determined for all stars. The result is a detailed view of the complex evolution of the local Milky Way, which must be matched by any model for the chemical and dynamical evolution of the Galactic disk. E.g., such models must explain the shape and large scatter in the age-metallity relation as well as the overall metallicity distribution; the evolution of stellar kinematics with age; the distribution of stars in velocity space; and the contributions from the thick and thin disks to all these relations. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Velocity field in the galactic plane

In this paper we present a study of the velocity components of the local centroids in the galactic plane for a point-axial stellar system model in a non-stationary state and with an equatorial plane of symmetry. The main results obtained are:(1) A displacement and attenuation of the maximum of the velocity-distance curve for different values of the direction. (2) The existence of expansion and contraction zones in the galactic plane.It must be pointed out that, in general, these velocity-distance curves require corrections due to the inclination of the galaxy. In the same way, it would be necessary to integrate the light along the line of vision. In the cylindrical case this latter factor has been studied by Catala (1975). However, these corrections do not greatly affect the structural form of the rotation curve as far as the aspects dealt with in this paper are concerned.     

Open clusters and the galactic disk

It is textbook knowledge that open clusters are conspicuous members of the thin disk of our Galaxy, but their role as contributors to the stellar population of the disk was regarded as minor. Starting from a homogenous stellar sky survey, the ASCC‐2.5, we revisited the population of open clusters in the solar neighbourhood from scratch. In the course of this enterprise we detected 130 formerly unknown open clusters, constructed volume‐ and magnitude‐limited samples of clusters, re‐determined distances, motions, sizes, ages, luminosities and masses of 650 open clusters. We derived the present‐day luminosity and mass functions of open clusters (not the stellar mass function in open clusters), the cluster initial mass function CIMF and the formation rate of open clusters. We find that open clusters contributed around 40 percent to the stellar content of the disk during the history of our Galaxy. Hence, open clusters are important building blocks of the Galactic disk (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Can a globular cluster formed in the galactic disk be raised into the halo?

The classical assumption that most globular clusters (hereafter GC) formed in situ in galactic halos is examined in an approximate, empirical way. Although this viewpoint is not rejected per se, an alternative possibility is investigated: the presence of multiple resonances in the galactic disk, together with the concurrent action of a resonant internal bar or distortion, may stir these resonances. This may lead to chaotic motion which breaks the action of the third integral for moderately eccentric orbits. These circumstances may consequently allow the formation of some GC’s in the disk with moderate to highly eccentric orbits, with the action of the resonant bar subsequently gradually driving them (as well as other stars with similar orbits) to spend most of their time in the Galaxy’s halo. The size of the resonant region and the probable effectiveness of the various agents in the associated phase space in the axisymmetric model are listed. An n-body simulation would be required to establish this proposal in a fully self-consistent way. Paper presented at the Division of Dynamical Astronomy Meetings in Halifax, N.S., Canada, June 2006.