Kinematics of the X-shaped Milky Way Bulge: Expectations from a Self-consistent N-body Model

TL;DR

This study uses an N-body model to analyze the kinematics of the Milky Way's X-shaped bulge, revealing signatures of orbital motion, rotation, and potential applications for measuring Galactic parameters.

Contribution

It provides a self-consistent N-body simulation of the Milky Way bulge, linking the X-shape features to kinematic signatures and practical measurement methods.

Findings

Double-peaked distance distribution matches observations.

Clear signatures of cylindrical rotation in radial velocities.

Proper motion differences can estimate bulge streaming motion.

Abstract

We explore the kinematics (both the radial velocity and the proper motion) of the vertical X-shaped feature in the Milky Way with an N-body bar/bulge model. From the solar perspective, the distance distribution of particles is double-peaked in fields passing through the X-shape. The separation and amplitude ratio between the two peaks qualitatively match the observed trends towards the Galactic bulge. We confirm clear signatures of cylindrical rotation in the pattern of mean radial velocity across the bar/bulge region. We also find possible imprints of coherent orbital motion inside the bar structure in the radial velocity distribution along l=0 degree, where the near and far sides of the bar/bulge show excesses of approaching and receding particles. The coherent orbital motion is also reflected in the slight displacement of the zero-velocity-line in the mean radial velocity, and the displacement of the maximum/minimum in the mean longitudinal proper motion across the bulge region. We find some degree of anisotropy in the stellar velocity within the X-shape, but the underlying orbital family of the X-shape cannot be clearly distinguished. Two potential applications of the X-shape in previous literature are tested, i.e., bulge rotation and Galactic center measurements. We find that the proper motion difference between the two sides of the X-shape can be used to estimate the mean azimuthal streaming motion of the bulge, but not the pattern speed of the bar. We also demonstrate that the Galactic center can be located with the X-shape, but the accuracy depends on the fitting scheme, the number of fields, and their latitudinal coverage.