The VVV Survey reveals classical Cepheids tracing a young and thin stellar disk across the Galaxy's bulge

TL;DR

The VVV Survey's near-infrared observations uncovered a young, thin stellar disk in the inner Milky Way by detecting 35 classical Cepheids, revealing ongoing star formation across the Galactic bulge.

Contribution

This study identifies a previously unobserved inner thin disk of young stars in the Milky Way using Cepheid variables, advancing understanding of Galactic structure and evolution.

Findings

Discovered 35 classical Cepheids tracing the inner thin disk.

Evidence of continuous star formation in the central Galaxy over 100 million years.

Mapped a young stellar component crossing the Galactic bulge.

Abstract

Solid insight into the physics of the inner Milky Way is key to understanding our Galaxy's evolution, but extreme dust obscuration has historically hindered efforts to map the area along the Galactic mid-plane. New comprehensive near-infrared time-series photometry from the VVV Survey has revealed 35 classical Cepheids, tracing a previously unobserved component of the inner Galaxy, namely a ubiquitous inner thin disk of young stars along the Galactic mid-plane, traversing across the bulge. The discovered period (age) spread of these classical Cepheids implies a continuous supply of newly formed stars in the central region of the Galaxy over the last 100 million years.