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Title

The gaseous trail of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy

Author(s)

Putman, Mary E.;  Thom, Christopher;  Gibson, Brad K.;  Staveley-Smith, Lister

Abstract

A possible gaseous component to the stream of debris from the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy is presented. We identify (4-10)×106 Msolar of neutral hydrogen along the orbit of the Sgr dwarf in the direction of the Galactic anticenter (at 36 kpc, the distance to the stellar debris in this region). This is 1%-2% of the estimated total mass of the Sgr dwarf. Both the stellar and gaseous components have negative velocities, but the gaseous component extends to higher negative velocities. If associated, this gaseous stream was most likely stripped from the main body of the dwarf 0.2-0.3 Gyr ago during its current orbit after a passage through a diffuse edge of the Galactic disk with a density greater than 10-4 cm-3. This gas represents the dwarf's last source of star formation fuel and explains how the galaxy was forming stars 0.5-2 Gyr ago.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. School of Biophysical Sciences and Electrical Engineering. Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing

Source

Astrophysical journal, Vol. 603, pt. 2 (2004), pp. L77-L80

Publication year

2004

Publisher

University of Chicago Press

Format

pp. L77-L80

ISSN

0004-637X

Publisher URL

Astrophysical journal

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/382728

Copyright

Copyright © 2004 The American Astronomical Society. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.

Full text

Peer reviewed