Dynamical models and Galaxy surveys

Abstract

Equilibrium dynamical models are essential tools for extracting science from surveys of our Galaxy. We show how models can be tested with data from a survey before the survey's selection function has been determined. We illustrate the application of this method by presenting some results for the RAVE survey. We extend our published analytic distribution functions to include chemistry and fit the chosen functional form to a combination of the Geneva--Copenhagen survey (GCS) and a sample of G-dwarfs observed at z~1.75 kpc by the SEGUE survey. By including solid dynamics we are able to predict the contribution that the thick disc/halo stars surveyed by SEGUE should make to the GCS survey. We show that the measured [Fe/H] distribution from the GCS includes many fewer stars at [Fe/H]<-0.6 than are predicted. The problem is more likely to lie in discordant abundance scales than with incorrect dynamics.

12 pages, to appear in IAU Symposium 298 "Setting the scene for Gaia and LAMOST", eds S Feltzing, G Zhao, NA Walton and PA Whitelock

References in corpus (2)

• More dynamical models of our Galaxy
• Angle-action estimation in a general axisymmetric potential

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Evolution of the Milky Way with radial motions of stars and gas I. The solar neighborhood and the thin and thick disk
• On the origin of the Galactic thin and thick discs, their abundance gradients and the diagnostic potential of their abundance ratios
• The AMBRE project: a study of Li evolution in the Galactic thin and thick discs
• Integrability of motion around galactic razor-thin disks
• Chaotic dynamics of pulsating spheres orbiting black holes
• Dynamical Models of the Milky Way in Action Space with LAMOST DR8 and GAIA EDR3