The origin of the bifurcation in the Sagittarius stream

M. Fellhauer; V. Belokurov; N. W. Evans; M. I. Wilkinson; D. B. Zucker; G. Gilmore; M. J. Irwin; D. M. Bramich; S. Vidrih; R. F G Wyse; T. C. Beers; J. Brinkmann

doi:10.1086/507128

The origin of the bifurcation in the Sagittarius stream

M. Fellhauer^*, V. Belokurov, N. W. Evans, M. I. Wilkinson, D. B. Zucker, G. Gilmore, M. J. Irwin, D. M. Bramich, S. Vidrih, R. F G Wyse, T. C. Beers, J. Brinkmann

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

197 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The latest Sloan Digital Sky Survey data reveal a prominent bifurcation in the distribution of debris of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal (Sgr) beginning at a right ascension of α ≈ 190°. Two branches of the stream (A and B) persist at roughly the same heliocentric distance over at least 50° of arc. There is also evidence for a more distant structure (C) well behind the A branch. This paper provides the first explanation for the bifurcation. It is caused by the projection of the young leading (A) and old trailing (B) tidal arms of the Sgr, while the old leading arm (C) lies well behind A. This explanation is only possible if the halo is close to spherical, as the angular difference between the branches is a measure of the precession of the orbital plane.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	167-173
Number of pages	7
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	651
Issue number	1 I
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/507128
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2006
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1086/507128

Cite this

@article{3243bc0d9d3a45dfa97a4dac6553f3fa,

title = "The origin of the bifurcation in the Sagittarius stream",

abstract = "The latest Sloan Digital Sky Survey data reveal a prominent bifurcation in the distribution of debris of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal (Sgr) beginning at a right ascension of α ≈ 190°. Two branches of the stream (A and B) persist at roughly the same heliocentric distance over at least 50° of arc. There is also evidence for a more distant structure (C) well behind the A branch. This paper provides the first explanation for the bifurcation. It is caused by the projection of the young leading (A) and old trailing (B) tidal arms of the Sgr, while the old leading arm (C) lies well behind A. This explanation is only possible if the halo is close to spherical, as the angular difference between the branches is a measure of the precession of the orbital plane.",

author = "M. Fellhauer and V. Belokurov and Evans, {N. W.} and Wilkinson, {M. I.} and Zucker, {D. B.} and G. Gilmore and Irwin, {M. J.} and Bramich, {D. M.} and S. Vidrih and Wyse, {R. F G} and Beers, {T. C.} and J. Brinkmann",

year = "2006",

month = nov,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1086/507128",

language = "English",

volume = "651",

pages = "167--173",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "IOP Publishing",

number = "1 I",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The origin of the bifurcation in the Sagittarius stream

AU - Fellhauer, M.

AU - Belokurov, V.

AU - Evans, N. W.

AU - Wilkinson, M. I.

AU - Zucker, D. B.

AU - Gilmore, G.

AU - Irwin, M. J.

AU - Bramich, D. M.

AU - Vidrih, S.

AU - Wyse, R. F G

AU - Beers, T. C.

AU - Brinkmann, J.

PY - 2006/11/1

Y1 - 2006/11/1

N2 - The latest Sloan Digital Sky Survey data reveal a prominent bifurcation in the distribution of debris of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal (Sgr) beginning at a right ascension of α ≈ 190°. Two branches of the stream (A and B) persist at roughly the same heliocentric distance over at least 50° of arc. There is also evidence for a more distant structure (C) well behind the A branch. This paper provides the first explanation for the bifurcation. It is caused by the projection of the young leading (A) and old trailing (B) tidal arms of the Sgr, while the old leading arm (C) lies well behind A. This explanation is only possible if the halo is close to spherical, as the angular difference between the branches is a measure of the precession of the orbital plane.

AB - The latest Sloan Digital Sky Survey data reveal a prominent bifurcation in the distribution of debris of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal (Sgr) beginning at a right ascension of α ≈ 190°. Two branches of the stream (A and B) persist at roughly the same heliocentric distance over at least 50° of arc. There is also evidence for a more distant structure (C) well behind the A branch. This paper provides the first explanation for the bifurcation. It is caused by the projection of the young leading (A) and old trailing (B) tidal arms of the Sgr, while the old leading arm (C) lies well behind A. This explanation is only possible if the halo is close to spherical, as the angular difference between the branches is a measure of the precession of the orbital plane.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845700763&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/507128

DO - 10.1086/507128

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33845700763

VL - 651

SP - 167

EP - 173

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

SN - 0004-637X

IS - 1 I

ER -

The origin of the bifurcation in the Sagittarius stream

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this