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Title:
The RAVE survey: constraining the local Galactic escape speed
Authors:
Smith, Martin C.; Ruchti, Gregory R.; Helmi, Amina; Wyse, Rosemary F. G.; Fulbright, J. P.; Freeman, K. C.; Navarro, J. F.; Seabroke, G. M.; Steinmetz, M.; Williams, M.; Bienaymé, O.; Binney, J.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Dehnen, W.; Gibson, B. K.; Gilmore, G.; Grebel, E. K.; Munari, U.; Parker, Q. A.; Scholz, R.-D.; Siebert, A.; Watson, F. G.; Zwitter, T.
Affiliation:
AA(Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, PO Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, the Netherlands), AB(Johns Hopkins University, 366 Bloomberg Center, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA), AC(Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, PO Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, the Netherlands), AD(Johns Hopkins University, 366 Bloomberg Center, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA), AE(Johns Hopkins University, 366 Bloomberg Center, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA), AF(Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Mount Stromlo Observatory, Cotter Road, Weston Creek, Canberra, ACT 72611, Australia), AG(University of Victoria, PO Box 3055, Station CSC, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3P6), AH(Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA), AI(Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam, An der Sterwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam, Germany), AJ(Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Mount Stromlo Observatory, Cotter Road, Weston Creek, Canberra, ACT 72611, Australia), AK(Observatoire de Strasbourg, 11 Rue de L'Université, 67000 Strasbourg, France), AL(Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, 1 Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3NP), AM(Anglo-Australian Observatory, PO Box 296, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia), AN(University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH), AO(University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE), AP(Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA), AQ(Astronomisches Institut, Universität Basel, Venusstrasse 7, Binningen CH-4102, Switzerland), AR(INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Via dell'Osservatorio 8, Asiago I-36012, Italy), AS(Anglo-Australian Observatory, PO Box 296, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia; Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia), AT(Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam, An der Sterwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam, Germany), AU(Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam, An der Sterwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam, Germany), AV(Anglo-Australian Observatory, PO Box 296, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia), AW(Department of Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Publication:
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 379, Issue 2, pp. 755-772. (MNRAS Homepage)
Publication Date:
08/2007
Origin:
MNRAS
MNRAS Keywords:
Galaxy: fundamental parameters , Galaxy: kinematics and dynamics
Abstract Copyright:
(c) 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2007 RAS
DOI:
10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.11964.x
Bibliographic Code:
2007MNRAS.379..755S

Abstract

We report new constraints on the local escape speed of our Galaxy. Our analysis is based on a sample of high-velocity stars from the RAVE survey and two previously published data sets. We use cosmological simulations of disc galaxy formation to motivate our assumptions on the shape of the velocity distribution, allowing for a significantly more precise measurement of the escape velocity compared to previous studies. We find that the escape velocity lies within the range 498 < vesc < 608kms-1 (90 per cent confidence), with a median likelihood of 544kms-1. The fact that v2esc is significantly greater than 2v2circ (where vcirc = 220kms-1 is the local circular velocity) implies that there must be a significant amount of mass exterior to the solar circle, that is, this convincingly demonstrates the presence of a dark halo in the Galaxy. We use our constraints on vesc to determine the mass of the Milky Way halo for three halo profiles. For example, an adiabatically contracted NFW halo model results in a virial mass of 1.42+1.14-0.54 × 1012Msolar and virial radius of (90 per cent confidence). For this model the circular velocity at the virial radius is 142+31-21kms-1. Although our halo masses are model dependent, we find that they are in good agreement with each other.
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