Refinement of the parameters of three selected model Galactic potentials based on the velocities of objects at distances up to 200 kpc

This paper is a continuation of our recent paper devoted to refining the parameters of threecomponent (bulge, disk, halo) axisymmetric model Galactic gravitational potentials differing by the expression for the dark matter halo using the velocities of distant objects. In all models the bulge and disk potentials are described by the Miyamoto–Nagai expressions. In our previous paper we used the Allen–Santillán (I), Wilkinson–Evans (II), and Navarro–Frenk–White (III) models to describe the halo. In this paper we use a spherical logarithmic Binney potential (model IV), a Plummer sphere (model V), and a Hernquist potential (model VI) to describe the halo. A set of present-day observational data in the range of Galactocentric distances R from 0 to 200 kpc is used to refine the parameters of the listed models, which are employed most commonly at present. The model rotation curves are fitted to the observed velocities by taking into account the constraints on the local matter density ρ_⊙= 0.1 M _⊙pc^?3 and the force K _z=1.1/2πG = 77M _⊙pc^?2 acting perpendicularly to the Galactic plane. The Galactic mass within spheres of radius 50 and 200 kpc are shown to be, respectively, M ₅₀ = (0.409 ± 0.020) × 10¹² M _⊙ and M ₂₀₀ = (1.395 ± 0.082) × 10¹² M _⊙ in model IV, M ₅₀ = (0.417 ± 0.034) × 10¹² M _⊙ and M ₂₀₀ = (0.469 ± 0.038) × 10¹² M _⊙in model V, and M ₅₀ = (0.417 ± 0.032) × 10¹² M _⊙ and M ₂₀₀ = (0.641 ± 0.049)× 10¹² M _⊙ in model VI. Model VI looks best among the three models considered here from the viewpoint of the achieved accuracy of fitting the model rotation curves to the measurements. This model is close to the Navarro–Frenk–White model III refined and considered best in our previous paper, which is shown using the integration of the orbits of two globular clusters, Lynga 7 and NGC 5053, as an example.     

Rotation curve and mass distribution in the Galaxy from the velocities of objects at distances up to 200 kpc

Three three-component (bulge, disk, halo) model Galactic gravitational potentials differing by the expression for the dark matter halo are considered. The central (bulge) and disk components are described by the Miyamoto–Nagai expressions. The Allen–Santillán (I), Wilkinson–Evans (II), and Navarro–Frenk–White (III) models are used to describe the halo. A set of present-day observational data in the range of Galactocentric distances R from 0 to 200 kpc is used to refine the parameters of thesemodels. For the Allen–Santillán model, a dimensionless coefficient γ has been included as a sought-for parameter for the first time. In the traditional and modified versions, γ = 2.0 and 6.3, respectively. Both versions are considered in this paper. The model rotation curves have been fitted to the observed velocities by taking into account the constraints on the local matter density ρ _⊙ = 0.1 M _⊙ pc^?3 and the force K _z =1.1/2πG = 77 M _⊙ pc^?2 acting perpendicularly to the Galactic plane. The Galactic mass within a sphere of radius 50 kpc, M _G (R ≤ 50 kpc) ≈ (0.41 ± 0.12) × 10¹² M _⊙, is shown to satisfy all three models. The differences between the models become increasingly significant with increasing radius R. In model I, the Galactic mass within a sphere of radius 200 kpc at γ = 2.0 turns out to be greatest among the models considered, M _G (R ≤ 200 kpc) = (1.45 ±0.30)× 10¹² M _⊙, M _G (R ≤ 200 kpc) = (1.29± 0.14)× 10¹² M _⊙ at γ = 6.3, and the smallest value has been found in model II, M _G (R ≤ 200 kpc) = (0.61 ± 0.12) × 10¹² M _⊙. In our view, model III is the best one among those considered, because it ensures the smallest residual between the data and the constructed model rotation curve provided that the constraints on the local parameters hold with a high accuracy. Here, the Galactic mass is M _G (R ≤ 200 kpc) = (0.75 ± 0.19) × 10¹² M _⊙. A comparative analysis with the models by Irrgang et al. (2013), including those using the integration of orbits for the two globular clusters NGC 104 and NGC 1851 as an example, has been performed. The third model is shown to have subjected to a significant improvement.     

The distance to the Galactic center determined by OB stars

The OB stars are concentrated near the Galactic plane and should permit a determination of the distance to the Galactic center. van Leeuwen’s new reduction of the Hipparcos catalog provides, after 824 Gould belt stars have been excluded, 6288 OB stars out to 1 kpc and Westin’s compilation an additional 112 stars between 1 kpc and 3 kpc. The reduction model involves 14 unknowns: the Oort A and B constants, the distance to the Galactic center R ₀, 2 second-order partial derivatives, the 3 components of solar motion, a K term, a first order partial derivative for motion perpendicular to the Galactic plane, a second-order partial for acceleration perpendicular to the plane, two terms for a possible expansion of the OB stars, and a C constant. The model is nonlinear, and the unknowns are calculated by use the simplex algorithm for nonlinear adjustment applied to 14313 equations of condition, 12694 in proper motion and 1619 in radial velocity. Various solutions were tried: an L₁ solution, a least squares solution with modest (2.7 %) trim of the data, and two robust least squares solutions (biweight and Welsch weighting) with more extreme trimming. The Welsch solution seems to give the best results and calculates a distance to the Galactic center 6.72±0.39 kpc. Statistical tests show that the data are homogeneous, that the reduction model seems adequate and conforms with the assumptions used in its derivation, and that the post-fit residuals are random. Inclusion of more terms, such as streaming motion induced by Galactic density waves, degrades the solution.     

太阳银心距的多途径测定

太阳银心距的测定对一些领域的天体物理研究具有不可替代的重要作用.在将近一个世纪的时间内,人们通过各种互相独立的途径,不断提高太阳银心距R(⊙)测定(包括绝对测定和相对测定)值的精确度和可靠性. 1985年IAU的推荐值为R(⊙)=(8.5±1.1)kpc;1993年Reid依据之前的多途径测定结果,得出其最优测定值可取为R(⊙)=(8.0±0.5)kpc,且为嗣后的许多研究工作所采用.该文对有关工作给予简要的介绍和评述,并利用1993年以来R(⊙)的各类测定结果得到最优估值R(⊙)=(7.82±0.16)kpc.     

The distance to Galactic globular clusters through RR Lyrae pulsational properties

By adopting the same approach outlined by De Santis & Cassisi, we evaluate the absolute bolometric magnitude of the zero-age horizontal branch (ZAHB) at the level of the RR Lyrae variable instability strip in selected Galactic globular clusters. This allows us to estimate the ZAHB absolute visual magnitude for these clusters and to investigate its dependence on the cluster metallicity. The derived M _V (ZAHB)–[Fe/H] relation, corrected in order to account for the luminosity difference between the ZAHB and the mean RR Lyrae magnitude, has been compared with some of the most recent empirical determinations in this field, such as the one provided by Baade–Wesselink analyses, RR Lyrae periods, Hipparcos data for field variables and main-sequence fitting based on Hipparcos parallaxes for field subdwarfs. As a result, our relation provides a clear support to the 'long' distance scale. We discuss also another method for measuring the distance to Galactic globular clusters. This method is quite similar to the one adopted for estimating the absolute bolometric magnitude of the ZAHB but it relies only on the pulsational properties of the Lyrae variables in each cluster. The reliability and accuracy of this method have been tested by applying it to a sample of globular clusters for which, owing to the morphology of their horizontal branch (HB), the use of the commonly adopted ZAHB fitting is a risky procedure. We notice that the two approaches for deriving the cluster distance modulus provide consistent results when applied to globular clusters, the RR Lyrae instability strip is well populated. As the adopted method relies on theoretical predictions on both the fundamental pulsational equation and the allowed mass range for fundamental pulsators, we give an estimate of the error affecting present results, owing to systematic uncertainties in the adopted theoretical framework.     

Oxygen isotopic ratios toward molecular clouds in the Galactic disk

We present our observations of the J = 1-0 rotation transitions in molecular isotopes C~(18)O and C~(17)O toward a sample of molecular clouds with different galactocentric distances, using the Delingha 13.7 m(DLH 13.7 m) telescope, administered by Purple Mountain Observatory, and its 9-beam SIS receiver.Complementary observations toward several sources with large galactocentric distance are obtained with the IRAM 30 m and Mopra 22 m telescopes. C~(18)O/C~(17)O abundance ratios reflecting the ~(18)O/~(17)O isotope ratios are obtained from integrated intensity ratios of C~(18)O and C~(17)O. We derived the ratio value for 13 sources covering a galactocentric distance range of 3 kpc to 16 kpc. In combination with our mapping results that provide a ratio value of 3.01±0.14 in the Galactic center region, it shows that the abundance ratio tends to increase with galactocentric distance, i.e., it supports a radial gradient along the Galactic disk for the abundance ratio. This is consistent with the inside-out formation scenario of our Galaxy. However, our results may suffer from small samples with large galactocentric distance. Combining our data with multitransition lines of C~(18)O and C~(17)O will be helpful for constraining opacities and abundances and further confirming the Galactic radial gradient shown by the isotope ratio ~(18)O/~(17)O.     

The distance measurements of supernova remnants in the fourth Galactic quadrant

We take advantage of red clump stars to build the relation of the optical extinction(AV) and distance in each direction of supernova remnants(SNRs) with known extinction in the fourth Galactic quadrant. The distances of nine SNRs are determined well by this method. Their uncertainties range from 10% to30%, which are significantly improved for eight SNRs, G279.0+1.1, G284.3–1.8, G296.1–0.5, G299.2–2.9,G308.4–1.4, G309.2–0.6, G309.8–2.6 and G332.4–0.4. In addition, SNR G284.3–1.8 with the new distance of 5.5 kpc is not likely associated with the PSR J1016–5857 at 3 kpc.     

Weighing the cusp at the Galactic Centre

As stars close to the galactic centre have short orbital periods it has been possible to trace large fractions of their orbits in the recent years. Previously the data of the orbit of the star S2 have been fitted with Keplerian orbits corresponding to a massive black hole (MBH) with a mass of M_BH = 3–4 × 10⁶M_⊙ implying an insignificant cusp mass. However, it has also been shown that the central black hole resides in a ∼1″ diameter stellar cluster of a priori unknown mass. In a spherical potential which is neither Keplerian nor harmonic, orbits will precess resulting in inclined rosetta shaped trajectories on the sky. In this case, the assumption of non‐Keplerian orbits is a more physical approach. It is also the only approach through which cusp mass information can be obtained via stellar dynamics of the cusp members. This paper presents the first exemplary modelling efforts in this direction. Using positional and radial data of star S2, we find that there could exist an unobserved extended mass component of several 10⁵M_⊙ forming a so‐called ‘cusp’ centered on the black hole position. Considering only the fraction of the cusp mass Mequation/tex2gif-inf-4.gif within the apo‐center of the S2 orbit we find as an upper limit that Mequation/tex2gif-inf-6.gif/(M_BH + Mequation/tex2gif-inf-9.gif) ≤ 0.05. A large extended cusp mass, if present, is unlikely to be composed of sub‐solar mass constituents, but could be explained rather well by a cluster of high M/L stellar remnants, which we find to form a stable configuration. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Possible Alternatives to the Supermassive Black Hole at the Galactic Center

Now there are two basic observational techniques to investigate a gravitational potential at the Galactic Center, namely, (a) monitoring the orbits of bright stars near the Galactic Center to reconstruct a gravitational potential; (b) measuring the size and shape of shadows around black hole giving an alternative possibility to evaluate black hole parameters in mm-band with VLBI-technique. At the moment, one can use a small relativistic correction approach for stellar orbit analysis (however, in the future the approximation will not be precise enough due to enormous progress of observational facilities) while for smallest structure analysis in VLBI observations one really needs a strong gravitational field approximation. We discuss results of observations, their conventional interpretations, tensions between observations and models and possible hints for a new physics from the observational data and tensions between observations and interpretations. We discuss an opportunity to use a Schwarzschild metric for data interpretation or we have to use more exotic models such as Reissner–Nordstrom or Schwarzschild–de-Sitter metrics for better fits.     

A research program to map the Galactic Emission at low frequencies

The need for accurate and complete maps of the galaxy at radio frequencies is made evident not only by the importance of the data in the study of galactic dynamics and structure formation but also in the analysis of cosmic background radiation data. A summary of the existing radio surveys of our galaxy is presented along with their limitations. A new program, the Galactic Emission Mapping (GEM) project, to obtain calibrated and complete maps of the galaxy in the 400 to 1400 MHz range, is outlined.Presented at the 2nd UN/ESA Workshop, held in Bogotá, Colombia, 9-13 November, 1992.     

Annihilation radiation from a dark matter spike at the Galactic Centre

We study annihilation radiation of neutralinos in the Galactic Centre, assuming the existence of a 'spike' in the dark matter density profile, caused by adiabatic accretion on to the massive black hole lying at the Galactic Centre. Under this assumption we find that it is possible to reproduce the observed SgrA* emission at radio and gamma-ray frequencies in a consistent scenario with a magnetic field close to the equipartition strength and with values of γ (the density profile power-law index) around 0.1.     

Disentangling the Galaxy at low Galactic latitudes

We have used the field stars from the open cluster survey BOCCE (Bologna Open Clusters Chemical Evolution), to study three low-latitude fields imaged with the Canada–France–Hawaii telescope (CFHT), with the aim of better understanding the Galactic structure in those directions. Because of the deep and accurate photometry in these fields, they provide a powerful discriminant among Galactic structure models. In the present paper we discuss if a canonical star count model, expressed in terms of thin and thick disc radial scales, thick disc normalization and reddening distribution, can explain the observed colour–magnitude diagrams (CMDs). Disc and thick disc are described with double exponentials, the spheroid is represented with a De Vaucouleurs density law. In order to assess the fitting quality of a particular set of parameters, the colour distribution and luminosity function of synthetic photometry is compared to that of target stars selected from the blue sequence of the observed CMDs. Through a Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, we find that the classical decomposition halo-thin/thick disc is sufficient to reproduce the observations – no additional population is strictly necessary. In terms of solutions common to all three fields, we have found a thick disc scalelength that is equal to (or slightly longer than) the thin disc scale.     

On the interstellar extinction law toward young stars

We have determined the atomic hydrogen column density N _HI toward all of the young stars from the Taurus-Auriga-Perseus star-forming complex for which the corresponding spectra are available in the Hubble Space Telescope archive (nine stars) by analyzing the Lyα line profile. We show that the stars studied, except DR Tau, lie not far from the edge of the gaseous cloud of the star-forming region closest to us or, more precisely, inside the outer H I shell of the cloud. This shell with a column density of N _HI ? 6 × 10²⁰ cm^?2 surrounds the molecular gas of the cloud composed of a diffuse component (the so-called diffuse screen) in which dense, compact TMC-1 cores are embedded. The properties of the dust grains toward the stars that lie at the front edge of the cloud most likely differ only slightly from those of the interstellar dust outside star-forming regions. This casts doubt on the validity of the hypothesis that the extinction curve toward young stars has an anomalously low amplitude of the 2175 Å bump—such an extinction curve is observed for the field stars HD 29647 and HD 283809 toward which the line of sight passes through the TMC-1 core.     

Measurements of Atmospheric Extinction at a Ground Level Observatory

In order to determine the atmospheric extinction at Physics Department Astronomical Observatory of the University of Extremadura, located at Badajoz (Spain), several stars were observed during some clear nights of atmospheric stability in the period 1998–2000, at optical wavelengths corresponding to the filters of the Kron-Cousins and Strömgren photometric systems. The determination of the extinction coefficients was made by assuming the Bouguer's law, which was shown to be a good approximation for this study. The results exhibited temporal variations and can be considered to be associated with clean atmospheres at locations of low altitude.     

Cataclysmic variables in a white dwarf survey at the South Galactic Pole

During a photometric and spectrophotometric survey of 200 white dwarf candidates with m_pg<15^m.0 in a field around the South Galactic Pole two new cataclysmic variables have been identified and new observations of one already known object have been accumulated. Observations in the visible and UV-region show variability and differences in spectral type. If compared to the numbers of cataclysmic variables/white dwarfs as computed by Ritter and Burkert (1985) there is a shortage of a factor of 5.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.     

The Gaia Data Release 1 parallaxes and the distance scale of Galactic planetary nebulae

In this paper we gauge the potentiality of Gaia in the distance scale calibration of planetary nebulae (PNe) by assessing the impact of DR1 parallaxes of central stars of Galactic PNe (CSPNe) against known physical relations. For selected PNe targets with state-of-the-art data on angular sizes and fluxes, we derive the distance-dependent parameters of the classical distance scales, i.e., physical radii and ionized masses, from DR1 parallaxes; we propagate the uncertainties in the estimated quantities and evaluate their statistical properties in the presence of large relative parallax errors; we populate the statistical distance scale diagrams with this sample and discuss its significance in light of existing data and current calibrations. We glean from DR1 parallaxes 8 CSPNe with S/N> 1. We show that this set of potential calibrators doubles the number of extant trigonometric parallaxes (from HST and ground-based), and increases by two orders of magnitude the domain of physical parameters probed previously. We then use the combined sample of suitable trigonometric parallaxes to fit the physical-radius-to-surface-brightness relation. This distance scale calibration, although preliminary, appears solid on statistical grounds, and suggestive of new PNe physics. With the tenfold improvement in PNe number statistics and astrometric accuracy expected from future Gaia releases the new distance scale, already very intriguing, will be definitively constrained.     

Galactic disc dark matter, terrestrial impact cratering and the law of large numbers

We present ROSAT PSPC observations of the twin-jet radio galaxy 3C 449. The soft X-ray emission from this object is dominated by an extended halo with a scale comparable to that of the radio source. The asymmetry of the X-ray emission is reflected in that of the radio lobes, providing evidence that the behaviour of the jets is strongly influenced by the external medium. A region of reduced X-ray surface brightness coincident with the southern radio lobe of 3C 449 suggests that the radio source has displaced thermal plasma from the X-ray-emitting halo. However, the minimum pressure in the radio lobe is considerably lower than our estimates of the pressure in the external medium. We discuss the implications for the dynamics of the radio source.     

Interstellar extinction toward the ultradeep Galactic field of the Chandra observatory from 2MASS data

We have measured the interstellar extinction in the region of ultradeep Galactic-field observations by the Chandra telescope (l ^II, b ^II) ≈ 0.1–1.42 using photometric data from the 2MASS infrared allsky survey. The angular resolution of our interstellar extinction map is 1′.8. We show that the interstellar extinction has a minimum, A _V ～ 3.4, near the center of the Chandra field of view and increases to A _V ～ 5.8–6 at the edge of the field of view. In addition, we show that the bulk of the extinction is gained in the Galactic disk and is approximately the same for all bulge stars. Our results will be subsequently used to process the Chandra data and to estimate the properties of the stellar population in this region.