The Microlensing Event Rate and Optical Depth Toward the Galactic Bulge from MOA-II

TL;DR

This study measures the microlensing optical depth and event rate toward the Galactic Bulge using MOA-II survey data, providing key insights for future space missions and understanding galactic structure.

Contribution

First detailed measurement of microlensing optical depth and event rate in the Galactic Bulge using two years of MOA-II data, including analysis of different source populations.

Findings

Event rate maximized at low latitudes and near l=1 degree.

Optical depth and event rate consistent with previous measurements.

Differences between all-source and RCG samples attributed to statistical fluctuations.

Abstract

We present measurements of the microlensing optical depth and event rate toward the Galactic Bulge based on two years of the MOA-II survey. This sample contains ~1000 microlensing events, with an Einstein Radius crossing time of t_E < 200 days between -5 <l< 10 degree and -7 <b< -1 degree. Our event rate and optical depth analysis uses 474 events with well defined microlensing parameters. In the central fields with |l|< 5 degree, we find an event rates of \Gamma = [2.39+/-1.1]e^{[0.60\pm0.05](3-|b|)}x 10^{-5}/star/yr and an optical depth of \tau_{200} = [2.35+/-0.18]e^{[0.51+/-0.07](3-|b|)}x 10^{-6} for the 427 events using all sources brighter than I_s = 20 mag centered at (l,b)=(0.38, -3.72). We find that the event rate is maximized at low latitudes and a longitude of $l~1 degree. For the 111 events in 3.2 deg^2 of the central Galactic Bulge at |b| < 3.0 degree and 0.0 < l < 2.0, centered at (l,b)=(0.97, -2.26), we find \Gamma = 4.57_{-0.46}^{+0.51} x 10^{-5}/star/yr and \tau_{200} = 3.64_{-0.45}^{+ 0.51} x 10^{-6}. We also consider a Red Clump Giant (RCG) star sample with I_s<17.5 mag. Our results are consistent with previous optical depth measurements. We find that the previously observed difference in optical depth measurements between all-source and RCG samples may be largely due to statistical fluctuations. These event rate measurements towards the central galactic bulge are necessary to predict the microlensing event rate and to optimize the survey fields in the future space mission such as WFIRST.