Evidence for coupling between the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy and the Milky Way warp

Details Evidence for coupling between the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy and the Milky Way warp Evidence for coupling between the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy and the Milky Way warp

2003-01-01

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0301014v1

Astrophys.J.583:L79-L82,2003

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

11 pages, to appear in the February 1 issue of ApJL

Scientific paper

10.1086/368160

Using recent determinations of the mass and orbit of Sagittarius, I calculate its orbital angular momentum. From the latest observational data, I also calculate the angular momentum of the Milky Way's warp. I find that both angular momenta are directed toward l=270, b=0, and have magnitude 2-8x10^12 M_Sun kpc km s^-1, where the range in both cases reflects uncertainty in the mass. The coincidence of the angular momenta is suggestive of a coupling between these systems. Direct gravitational torque of Sgr on the disk is ruled out as the coupling mechanism. Gravitational torque due to a wake in the halo and the impulsive deposition of momentum by a passage of Sgr through the disk are still both viable mechanisms pending better simulations to test their predictions on the observed Sgr-MW system.

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