Astrophysical Distance Scale II. Application of the JAGB Method: A Nearby Galaxy Sample

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the application of the JAGB method to measure galaxy distances within 4 Mpc, showing excellent agreement with traditional methods and highlighting its potential for precise, independent cosmic distance calibration.

Contribution

The study applies the JAGB method to a sample of 14 nearby galaxies, validating its accuracy and potential as an alternative to existing distance measurement techniques.

Findings

JAGB distances agree with TRGB within 1%.

JAGB stars are detectable farther than TRGB stars.

Preliminary tests show little metallicity dependence.

Abstract

We apply the near-infrared J-region Asymptotic Giant Branch (JAGB) method, recently introduced by Madore \& Freedman (2020), to measure the distances to 14 nearby galaxies out to 4 Mpc. We use the geometric detached eclipsing binary (DEB) distances to the LMC and SMC as independent zero-point calibrators. We find excellent agreement with previously published distances based on the Tip of the Red Giant Branch (TRGB): the JAGB distance determinations (including the LMC and SMC) agree in the mean to within Delta(JAGB-TRGB) = +0.025 +/- 0.013 mag, just over 1%, where the TRGB I-band zero point is M_I = ~-4.05 mag. With further development and testing, the JAGB method has the potential to provide an independent calibration of Type Ia supernovae, especially with JWST. The JAGB stars (with M_J = -6.20 mag) can be detected farther than the fainter TRGB stars, allowing greater numbers of calibrating galaxies for the determination of Ho. Along with the TRGB and Cepheids, JAGB stars are amenable to theoretical understanding and further refined empirical calibration. A preliminary test shows little dependence, if any, of the JAGB magnitude with metallicity of the parent galaxy. These early results suggest that the JAGB method has considerable promise for providing high-precision distances to galaxies in the local universe that are independent of distances derived from the Leavitt Law and/or the TRGB method; and it has numerous and demonstrable advantages over the possible use of Mira variables.