Estimation of Galactic Model Parameters and Metalicity Distribution in Intermediate Latitudes with SDSS

TL;DR

This study analyzes SDSS data across intermediate galactic latitudes to estimate parameters of the Galaxy's structure and metallicity distribution, revealing variations in disc scaleheight, halo shape, and metallicity gradients that inform models of galactic formation.

Contribution

It provides new measurements of galactic model parameters and metallicity gradients in intermediate latitudes, highlighting structural variations and their implications for galaxy formation theories.

Findings

Disc flare confirmed by increasing scaleheight from galactic center to outer regions.

Halo axis ratio remains nearly constant, suggesting a shallow halo influenced by the long bar.

Metallicity gradient indicates dissipational collapse in inner regions and merger processes in the halo.

Abstract

We estimated the galactic model parameters for a set of 20 intermediate-latitude fields with galactic longitudes 0<l<100 and 160<l<240, included in the currently available Data Release 6 (DR6) of SDSS, to explore their possible variation with galactic longitude. The local space densities of the thick disc and halo are almost the same for all fields, <(n_{2}/n_{1})>=6.52% and <(n_{3}/n_{1})>=0.35%, respectively, a result different than the one cited for high-latitude fields. The thin disc's scaleheight is 325 pc in the galactic centre changes to 369 pc in the third quadrant, which confirms the existence of disc flare, whereas the thick disc scaleheight is as large as 952 pc at galactic longitude l=20 and 10% lower at l=160, which confirms the existence of the disc long bar in the direction l=27. Finally, the variation of the axis ratio of the halo with galactic longitude is almost flat, <(c/a)>=0.56, except a slight minimum and a small maximum in the second and third quadrants, respectively, indicating an effect of the long bar which seems plausible for a shallow halo. We estimated the metallicities of unevolved G-type stars and discussed the metallicity gradient for different vertical distances. The metallicity gradient is d[M/H]/dz=-0.30 dex kpc$^{-1}$ for short distances, confirming the formation of this region of the Galaxy by dissipational collapse. However, its change is steeper in the transition regions of different galactic components. The metallicity gradient is almost zero for inner halo (5<z<10 kpc), indicating a formation of merger or accretion of numerous fragments such as dwarf galaxies.