Structure and Dynamics of the Milky Way: an Astro2010 Science White Paper

TL;DR

Recent radio astrometry advances enable precise 3D mapping of the Milky Way's structure and kinematics, providing insights into its fundamental parameters and mass distribution, including dark matter.

Contribution

This white paper discusses how VLBA radio astrometry can revolutionize our understanding of the Milky Way's structure and dynamics.

Findings

Micro-arcsecond parallax measurements achieved

Potential to map the Galaxy's spiral structure in 3D

Accurate determination of fundamental Galactic parameters

Abstract

Recent advances in radio astrometry with the VLBA have resulted in near micro-arcsecond accurate trigonometric parallax and proper motion measurements for masers in star forming regions. We are now poised to directly measure the full 3-dimensional locations and motions of every massive star forming region in the Milky Way and for the first time to map its spiral structure. Such measurements would also yield the full kinematics of the Milky Way and determine its fundamental parameters (Ro and To) with 1% accuracy. Coupled with other observations this would yield the distribution of mass among the various components (including dark matter) of the Milky Way.