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La Silla-QUEST RR Lyrae star survey II: the Crater II tidal streams
Resource type
Authors/contributors
- Coppi, P S (Author)
- Zinn, R (Author)
- Baltay, C (Author)
- Rabinowitz, D (Author)
- Girard, T (Author)
- Howard, R (Author)
- Ment, K (Author)
- Rahman, R (Author)
Title
La Silla-QUEST RR Lyrae star survey II: the Crater II tidal streams
Abstract
We describe photometry improvements in the La Silla-Quest RR Lyrae star (RRLS) survey that enable it to reach distances from the Sun (d⊙) ∼140 kpc. We report the results of surveying ∼300 deg2 of sky around the large, low-surface-brightness Crater II dwarf spheroidal galaxy. At d⊙ >80 kpc, we find a large overdensity of RRLS that extends beyond the traditional isophotal contours used for Crater II. The majority of these RRLS (34) have a linear distribution on the sky, extending over 15°, that runs through Crater II and is oriented along Crater II’s proper motion vector. We hypothesize that this unlikely distribution traces extended tidal streams associated with Crater II. To test this, we search for other Crater II stellar populations that should be in the streams. Using Gaia proper motion data, we isolate ≈ 17 candidate stars outside of Crater II that are consistent with being luminous stars from the Crater II Red Giant Branch (RGB). Their spatial distribution is consistent with the RRLS one. The inferred streams are long, spanning a distance range ∼80–135 kpc from the Galactic Centre. They are oriented at a relatively small-angle relative to our line of sight (∼25°), which means some stream stars are likely projected onto the main body of the galaxy. Comparing the numbers of RRLS and RGB candidate stars found in the streams to those in the main galaxy, we estimate Crater II has lost $\gtrsim 30~{{\rm per\ cent}}$ of its stellar mass.
Publication
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Date
2024-11-21
Volume
535
Issue
1
Pages
443-470
Journal Abbr
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Citation Key
coppiSillaQUESTRRLyrae2024
Accessed
12/2/24, 3:18 PM
ISSN
0035-8711
Short Title
La Silla-QUEST RR Lyrae star survey II
Library Catalog
Silverchair
Citation
Coppi, P. S., Zinn, R., Baltay, C., Rabinowitz, D., Girard, T., Howard, R., Ment, K., & Rahman, R. (2024). La Silla-QUEST RR Lyrae star survey II: the Crater II tidal streams. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 535(1), 443–470. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stae488
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