Modelling mass distribution of the Milky Way galaxy using Gaia billion-star map

Abstract

The Milky Way galaxy is a typical spiral galaxy which consists of a black hole in its centre, a barred bulge and a disk which contains spiral arms. The complex structure of the Galaxy makes it extremely difficult and challenging to model its mass distribution, particularly for the Galactic disk which plays the most important role in the dynamics and evolution of the Galaxy. Conventionally an axisymmetric disk model with an exponential brightness distribution and a constant mass-to-light ratio is assumed for the Galactic disk. In order to generate a flat rotation curve, a dark halo has also to be included. Here, by using the recently released Gaia billion-star map, we propose a Galactic disk mass distribution model which is based on the star density distribution rather than the brightness and mass-to-light ratio. The model is characterized by two parameters, a bulge radius and a characteristic length. Using the mass distribution model and solving the Poisson equation of the Galaxy, we obtain a flat rotation curve which reproduces the key observed features with no need for a dark halo.

11 pages, 3 figures

References in corpus (4)

• The RAVE Survey: Constraining the Local Galactic Escape Speed
• The Spiral Structure of the Outer Milky Way in Hydrogen
• Evidence for dark matter in the inner Milky Way
• Made-to-Measure models of the Galactic Box/Peanut bulge: stellar and total mass in the bulge region

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• Dynamics of Intermediate-Mass Black Holes Wandering in the Milky Way Galaxy Using the Illustris TNG50 Simulation
• 8 in 10 Stars in the Milky Way Bulge Experience Stellar Encounters Within 1000 AU in a Gigayear
• On the local and global properties of the gravitational spheres of influence
• The luminosity of cluster galaxies in the Cluster-EAGLE simulations