• A Blueprint for the Milky Way's Stellar Populations. IV. Spectrum-based Empirical Corrections and the Galactic Starburst Sequence

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We continue our series of papers on phase-space distributions of stars in the Milky Way based on photometrically derived metallicities and Gaia astrometry, with a focus on the halo-disk interface in the local volume. To exploit various photometric databases, we develop a method of empirically calibrating synthetic stellar spectra based on a comparison with observations of stellar sequences and individual stars in SDSS, SMSS, and PS1, overcoming band-specific corrections employed in our previous work. In addition, photometric zero-point corrections are derived to provide an internally consistent photometric system with a spatially uniform metallicity zero point. Based on our phase-space diagrams, we find a strikingly narrow sequence in the rotational velocity ($v_\phi$) versus metallicity ([Fe/H]) space for a sample of high proper-motion stars ($>25$ mas yr$^{-1}$), which runs along the Gaia Sausage/Enceladus (GSE) and the Splash sub-structures, and is connected to the disk. Notably, a rapid increase of $v_\phi$ from a nearly zero net rotation to $200$ km s$^{-1}$ within a narrow metallicity interval ($-0.8 < {\rm [Fe/H]} < -0.2$) suggests that these stars were formed on a short gas-depletion time scale. Based on measurements of a scale height and length, we argue that they are distinct from stars dynamically heated by mergers, and are the relics formed during the starburst when the young Milky Way encountered the gas-rich GSE merger. The chain of high proper-motion stars, which we dub the Galactic Starburst Sequence (GSS), provides evidence that the post-merger metal-enriched gas settled onto the disk.

  • Chemodynamical Analysis of Metal-rich High-eccentricity Stars in the Milky Way's Disk

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We present a chemodynamical analysis of 11,562 metal-rich, high-eccentricity halo-like main-sequence (MS) stars, which has been referred to as the Splash or Splashed Disk, selected from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST). When divided into two groups, a low-[$\alpha$/Fe] population (LAP) and a high-[$\alpha$/Fe] population (HAP), based on kinematics and chemistry, we find that they exhibit very distinct properties, indicative of different origins. From a detailed analysis of their orbital inclinations, we suggest that the HAP arises from a large fraction (~ 90%) of heated disk stars and a small fraction (~ 10%) of in situ stars from a starburst population, likely induced by interaction of the Milky Way with Gaia Sausage/Enceladus (GSE) or other early merger. The LAP comprises about half accreted stars from the GSE and half formed by the GSE-induced starburst. Our findings further imply that the Splash stars in our sample originated from at least three different mechanisms - accretion, disk heating, and a merger induced starburst.

  • Search for Extremely Metal-Poor Stars with GEMINI-N/GRACES I. Chemical-Abundance Analysis

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We present stellar parameters and abundances of 13 elements for 18 very metal-poor (VMP; [Fe/H] $<$ -2.0) stars, selected as extremely metal-poor (EMP; [Fe/H] $<$ -3.0) candidates from SDSS and LAMOST survey. High-resolution spectroscopic observations were performed using GEMINI-N/GRACES. We find ten EMP stars among our candidates, and we newly identify three carbon-enhanced metal poor (CEMP) stars with [Ba/Fe] $<$ 0. Although chemical abundances of our VMP/EMP stars generally follow the overall trend of other Galactic halo stars, there are a few exceptions. One Na-rich star ([Na/Fe] = +1.14) with low [Mg/Fe] suggests a possible chemical connection with second-generation stars in a globular cluster. The progenitor of an extremely Na-poor star ([Na/Fe] = -1.02) with an enhancement of K- and Ni-abundance ratios may have undergone a distinct nucleosynthesis episode, associated with core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) having a high explosion energy. We have also found a Mg-rich star ([Mg/Fe] = +0.73) with slightly enhanced Na and extremely low [Ba/Fe], indicating that its origin is not associated with neutron-capture events. On the other hand, the origin of the lowest Mg abundance ([Mg/Fe] = -0.61) star could be explained by accretion from a dwarf galaxy, or formation in a gas cloud largely polluted by SNe Ia. We have also explored the progenitor masses of our EMP stars by comparing their chemical-abundance patterns with those predicted by Population III SNe models, and find a mass range of 10 - 26 $M_\odot$, suggesting that such stars were primarily responsible for the chemical enrichment of the early Milky Way.

  • Beyond spectroscopy. I. Metallicities, distances, and age estimates for over twenty million stars from SMSS DR2 and Gaia EDR3

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Accurate determinations of stellar parameters and distances for large complete samples of stars are keys for conducting detailed studies of the formation and evolution of our Galaxy. Here we present stellar atmospheric parameters ($T_{\rm eff}$, luminosity classifications, and [Fe/H]) estimates for some 24 million stars determined from the stellar colors of SMSS DR2 and Gaia EDR3, based on training datasets with available spectroscopic measurements from previous high/medium/low-resolution spectroscopic surveys. The number of stars with photometric-metallicity estimates is 4-5 times larger than that collected by the current largest spectroscopic survey to date - LAMOST - over the course of the past decade. External checks indicate that the precision of the photometric-metallicity estimates are quite high, comparable to or slightly better than that derived from spectroscopy, with typical values around 0.05-0.15dex for both dwarf and giant stars with [Fe/H]>$-$1.0, 0.10-0.20dex for giant stars with $-$2.0<[Fe/H]<$-$1.0. and 0.20-0.25dex for giant stars with [Fe/H]<$-$2.0, and include estimates for stars as metal-poor as [Fe/H]~$-$3.5, substantially lower than previous photometric techniques. Photometric-metallicity estimates are obtained for an unprecedented number of metal-poor stars, including a total of over three million metal-poor (MP; [Fe/H] <$-$1.0) stars, over half a million very metal-poor (VMP; [Fe/H]<$-$2.0) stars, and over 25,000 extremely metal-poor (EMP; [Fe/H]<$-$3.0) stars. Moreover, distances are determined for over 20 million stars in our sample. For the over 18 million sample stars with accurate Gaia parallaxes, stellar ages are estimated by comparing with theoretical isochrones. Astrometric information is provided for the stars in our catalog, along with radial velocities for ~10% of our sample stars, taken from completed/ongoing large-scale spectroscopic surveys.

  • Phase-space Properties and Chemistry of the Sagittarius Stellar Stream Down to the Extremely Metal-poor ($\rm[Fe/H] \lesssim -3$) Regime

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: In this work, we study the phase-space and chemical properties of Sagittarius (Sgr) stream, the tidal tails produced by the ongoing destruction of Sgr dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy, focusing on its very metal-poor (VMP; $\rm[Fe/H] }200$ VMP stars. We find the leading arm ($b>0^\circ$) of Sgr stream to be more metal-poor, by ${\sim}0.2$ dex, than the trailing one ($b}2$ Gyr ago) have present-day phase-space properties similar to lower-metallicity stream stars. Conversely, those stripped more recently (${ -1$) members of the stream. Such correlation between kinematics and chemistry can be explained by the existence of a dynamically hotter, less centrally-concentrated, and more metal-poor population in Sgr dSph prior to its disruption, implying that this galaxy was able to develop a metallicity gradient before its accretion. Finally, we discovered several carbon-enhanced metal-poor ($\rm[C/Fe] > +0.7$ and $\rm[Fe/H] \leq -1.5$) stars in Sgr stream, which is in tension with current observations of its remaining core where such objects are not found.