Gaia reveals that most Milky Way companion galaxies are newcomers to our corner of space

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notFritzArgelander
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Gaia reveals that most Milky Way companion galaxies are newcomers to our corner of space

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Post by notFritzArgelander »


https://phys.org/news/2021-11-gaia-reve ... axies.html

See also viewtopic.php?f=78&t=21980

arXiv shows additional results not reported in the articles in bold below.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2109.11557
Here we show that precise Gaia EDR3 proper motions have provided robust estimates of 3D velocities, angular momentum and total energy for 40 Milky Way dwarfs. The results are statistically robust and are independent of the Milky Way mass profile. Dwarfs do not behave like long-lived satellites of the Milky Way because of their excessively large velocities, angular momenta, and total energies. Comparing them to other MW halo population, we find that many are at first passage, ≤ 2 Gyr ago, i.e., more recently than the passage of Sagittarius, ∼ 4-5 Gyr ago. We suggest that this is in agreement with the stellar populations of all dwarfs, for which we find that a small fraction of young stars cannot be excluded. We also find that dwarf radial velocities contribute too little to their kinetic energy when compared to satellite systems with motions only regulated by gravity, and some other mechanism must be at work such as ram pressure. The latter may have preferentially reduced radial velocities when dwarf progenitors entered the halo until they lost their gas. It could also explain why most dwarfs lie near their pericenter. We also discover a novel large scale structure perpendicular to the Milky Way disk, which is made by 20% of dwarfs orbiting or counter orbiting with the Sagittarius dwarf.
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Re: Gaia reveals that most Milky Way companion galaxies are newcomers to our corner of space

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Post by GCoyote »


What does this say about the local group of galaxies and its evolution. I feel like there is a big picture story here just beyond my level of expertise.
Any metaphor will tear if stretched over too much reality.
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Re: Gaia reveals that most Milky Way companion galaxies are newcomers to our corner of space

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Post by notFritzArgelander »


GCoyote wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:30 am What does this say about the local group of galaxies and its evolution. I feel like there is a big picture story here just beyond my level of expertise.
There are two pieces, one involved with the evolution of clusters of galaxy like our Local Group. The other is involved with cosmology and Dark Matter.

The former is pretty easy. Galaxy clusters are not closed systems. They can renew and refresh their materials by capturing external objects. That process of renewal by accretion will continue until the accelerating expansion of the universe slows it down. Previous estimates of when galaxies die (stop forming stars) need to be revised to account for this.

The latter is less easy but even more consequential. The doubters of Dark Matter pointed at simulations of galaxy formation which showed that galaxies like the MW should have a coterie of ~200 dwarf satellites in attendance. This is not observed so DM is falsified, they argued. However, IIRC, those simulations did not include tidal dissipation mechanisms that would permit the MW-like galaxies to absorb the cloud of satellites. So this objection to DM, not enough satellites, is now falsified by the observation that the MW (and presumably others like it) has a much more ravenous appetite than originally considered.
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Re: Gaia reveals that most Milky Way companion galaxies are newcomers to our corner of space

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Post by GCoyote »


Thanks, it was the DM implications that were nagging me.
Any metaphor will tear if stretched over too much reality.
Gary C

Celestron Astro Master 130mm f5 Newtonian GEM
Meade 114-EQ-DH f7.9 Newtonian w/ manual GEM
Bushnell 90mm f13.9 Catadioptric
Gskyer 80mm f5 Alt/Az refractor
Jason 10x50 Binoculars
Celestron 7x50 Binoculars
Svbony 2.1x42 Binoculars
(And a bunch of stuff I'm still trying to fix or find parts for.)
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