Identifying resonances of the Galactic bar in Gaia DR2: II. Clues from angle space
Abstract
The Milky Way disk exhibits intricate orbit substructure of still-debated dynamical origin. The angle variables -- which are conjugates to the actions , and describe a star's location along its orbit -- are a powerful diagnostic to identify : resonances via the orbit shape relation . In the past, angle signatures have been hidden by survey selection effects (SEs). Using test particle simulations of a barred galaxy, we demonstrate that \emph{Gaia} should allow us to identify the Galactic bar's Outer Lindblad Resonance (, OLR) in angle space. We investigate strategies to overcome SEs. In the angle data of the \emph{Gaia} DR2 RVS sample, we independently identify four candidates for the OLR and therefore for the pattern speed . The strongest candidate, , positions the OLR above the `Sirius' moving group, agrees with measurements from the Galactic center, and might be supported by higher-order resonances around the `Hercules/Horn'. But it misses the classic orbit orientation flip, as discussed in the companion study on actions. The candidate was also suggested by the action-based study, has the OLR at the `Hat', is consistent with \emph{slow bar} models, but still affected by SEs. Weaker candidates are and . In addition, we show that the stellar angles do not support the `Hercules/Horn' being created by the OLR of a \emph{fast bar}. We conclude that -- to resolve if `Sirius' or `Hat' is related to the bar's OLR -- more complex dynamical explanations and more extended data with well-behaved SEs are required.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2011.01233,
title = {Identifying resonances of the Galactic bar in Gaia DR2: II. Clues from angle space},
author = {Wilma H. Trick},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2011.01233},
year = {2021}
}
Comments
16 pages, 9 figures (excluding appendices); accepted for publication in MNRAS