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Evidence for coupling between the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy and the Milky Way warp

By SpaceRef Editor
January 2, 2003
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Astrophysics, abstract
astro-ph/0301014


From: Jeremy Bailin <jbailin@as.arizona.edu>
Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 21:05:09 GMT (10kb)

Evidence for coupling between the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy and the Milky Way warp


Authors:
Jeremy Bailin (Steward Observatory)

Comments: 11 pages, to appear in the February 1 issue of ApJL


Using recent determinations of the mass and orbit of Sagittarius, I calculate
its orbital angular momentum. From the latest observational data, I also
calculate the angular momentum of the Milky Way’s warp. I find that both
angular momenta are directed toward l=270, b=0, and have magnitude 2-8×10^12
M_Sun kpc km s^-1, where the range in both cases reflects uncertainty in the
mass. The coincidence of the angular momenta is suggestive of a coupling
between these systems. Direct gravitational torque of Sgr on the disk is ruled
out as the coupling mechanism. Gravitational torque due to a wake in the halo
and the impulsive deposition of momentum by a passage of Sgr through the disk
are still both viable mechanisms pending better simulations to test their
predictions on the observed Sgr-MW system.

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