The Pristine Inner Galaxy Survey (PIGS) IV: A photometric metallicity analysis of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy

Abstract

We present a comprehensive metallicity analysis of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy (Sgr dSph) using $PristineCaHK$ photometry. We base our member selection on $Gaia$ EDR3 astrometry applying a magnitude limit at $G_0=17.3$, and our population study on the metallicity-sensitive photometry from the $Pristine$ Inner Galaxy Survey (PIGS). Working with photometric metallicities instead of spectroscopic metallicities allows us to cover an unprecedented large area ($\sim 100$ square degrees) of the dwarf galaxy, and to study the spatial distribution of its members as function of metallicity with little selection effects. Our study compares the spatial distributions of a metal-poor population of 9719 stars with [Fe/H] $<-1.3$ and a metal rich one of 30115 stars with [Fe/H] $>-1.0$. The photometric Sgr sample also allows us to assemble the largest sample of 1150 very metal-poor Sgr candidates ([Fe/H] $<-2.0$). By investigating and fitting the spatial properties of the metal-rich and metal-poor population, we find a negative metallicity gradient which extends up to 12 degrees from the Sgr center (or $\sim 5.5$ kpc at the distance of Sgr), the limit of our footprint. We conclude that the relative number of metal-poor stars increases in the outer areas of the galaxy, while the central region is dominated by metal-rich stars. These finding suggest an outside-in formation process and are an indication of the extended formation history of Sgr, which has been affected by the tidal interaction between Sgr and the Milky Way.

The paper was accepted on 20 September by MNRAS

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• The metallicity distribution in the core of the Sagittarus dwarf spheroidal: minimising the metallicity biases
• The Pristine Inner Galaxy Survey (PIGS) X. Probing the early chemical evolution of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy with carbon abundances
• The Pristine Inner Galaxy Survey (PIGS) IX. The largest detailed chemical analysis of very metal-poor stars in the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy
• A Sagittarius-like simulated dwarf spheroidal galaxy from TNG50
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