Is the Milky Way still breathing? : RAVE-Gaia streaming motions

I. Carrillo, I. Minchev, G. Kordopatis, M. Steinmetz, J. Binney, F. Anders, O. Bienaymé, J. Bland-Hawthorn, B. Famaey, K. C. Freeman, G. Gilmore, B. K. Gibson, E. K. Grebel, A. Helmi, A. Just, A. Kunder, P. McMillan, G. Monari, U. Munari, J. NavarroQ. A. Parker, W. Reid, G. Seabroke, S. Sharma, A. Siebert, F. Watson, J. Wojno, R. F. G. Wyse, T. Zwitter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We use data from the Radial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) and the Tycho-Gaia astrometric solution (TGAS) catalogue to compute the velocity fields yielded by the radial (V-R), azimuthal (V-phi), and vertical (V-z) components of associated Galactocentric velocity. We search in particular for variation in all three velocity components with distance above and below the disc midplane, as well as how each component of V-z (line-of-sight and tangential velocity projections) modifies the obtained vertical structure. To study the dependence of velocity on proper motion and distance, we use two main samples: a RAVE sample including proper motions from the Tycho-2, PPMXL, and UCAC4 catalogues, and a RAVE-TGAS sample with inferred distances and proper motions from the TGAS and UCAC5 catalogues. In both samples, we identify asymmetries in V-R and V-z. Below the plane, we find the largest radial gradient to be partial derivative V-R/partial derivative R = -7.01 +/- 0.61 km s(-1) kpc(-1), in agreement with recent studies. Above the plane, we find a similar gradient with partial derivative V-R/partial derivative R = -9.42 +/- 1.77 km s(-1) kpc(-1). By comparing our results with previous studies, we find that the structure in V-z is strongly dependent on the adopted proper motions. Using the Galaxia Milky Way model, we demonstrate that distance uncertainties can create artificial wave-like patterns. In contrast to previous suggestions of a breathing mode seen in RAVE data, our results support a combination of bending and breathing modes, likely generated by a combination of external or internal and external mechanisms.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2679-2696
Number of pages18
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume475
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

Keywords

  • Milky Way
  • RAVE survey
  • dynamics
  • kinematics

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