The Structure of the Sagittarius Stream

Details The Structure of the Sagittarius Stream The Structure of the Sagittarius Stream

Feb 1999

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999noao.prop..371m&link_type=abstract

NOAO Proposal ID #1999A-0371

Physics

Scientific paper

Models of the interaction of the Sgr dwarf and the Galaxy suggest that long tidal tails should be seen stretched along its orbit both in front and behind the main body of the galaxy. These models - some of which require an earlier collision of Sgr with the Magellanic Clouds - can be strongly constrained by better knowledge of the projected distribution of Sgr stars on the sky. In a recent BTC run (July 1998), we successfully identified Sgr stars in fields located up to 34° from the galaxy center by counting stars located near the main-sequence turnoff region. These counts allowed us to trace the surface-density profile of Sgr to an equivalent surface brightness of 30.5 mag arcsec^-2 at a 5-sigma detection level. We propose to use the same techniques to (a) trace the structure of Sgr 20-30° further out than we have so far, (b) measure the shape, curvature and tilt of the `Sgr Stream' perpendicular to its long axis, and (c) identify the leading tidal arm of Sgr. These observations benefit from our ability to reduce the BTC photometric data in near-real time, allowing us to dynamically alter our search pattern in the outer regions of this ultra- low surface brightness system. We shall also use these data to determine the distance and stellar-population gradients along the Sgr Stream to further constrain the 3-D structure and star-formation history of the galaxy.

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