NAM2019
  • NAM2019
    • Registration
    • Key Dates & Outline Schedule
    • Practical Information
    • Exhibitors
    • Grants & Bursaries
    • Contacts
  • Science
    • Science Programme
    • Parallel Sessions
    • Plenary Talks
    • Community Session
    • Special Lunches
    • Posters
    • Presenter Guidelines
  • Social
    • What's On
    • Welcome Reception
    • RAS Awards Dinner
  • Media
  • Outreach
    • Outreach and Education Day
    • Fringe Event
    • School Visit Day
  • Lancaster
    • Travel
    • Accommodation
    • Childcare
    • Campus Map
    • About Lancaster
    • Code of Conduct
  • NAM2019
    • Registration
    • Key Dates & Outline Schedule
    • Practical Information
    • Exhibitors
    • Grants & Bursaries
    • Contacts
  • Science
    • Science Programme
    • Parallel Sessions
    • Plenary Talks
    • Community Session
    • Special Lunches
    • Posters
    • Presenter Guidelines
  • Social
    • What's On
    • Welcome Reception
    • RAS Awards Dinner
  • Media
  • Outreach
    • Outreach and Education Day
    • Fringe Event
    • School Visit Day
  • Lancaster
    • Travel
    • Accommodation
    • Childcare
    • Campus Map
    • About Lancaster
    • Code of Conduct

Programme by Session

Schedule

id
Tuesday
date time
PM2
Abstract
Galactic archeology: Milky Way merged with two gas-rich galaxies at ~8 and ~4 Gyr ago

Abstract details

id
Galactic archeology: Milky Way merged with two gas-rich galaxies at ~8 and ~4 Gyr ago
Date Submitted
2019-03-05 16:11:32
Jianhui
Lian
Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation
Bridging the Disciplines of Galactic and Extra-galactic Archaeology
Poster
Jianhui Lian, Daniel Thomas, Claudia Maraston
Galaxy mergers are usually identified by asymmetry morphologies, such as tidal tail, or peculiar dynamics with predominant random motion instead of rotation. In fact, in addition to the influence on the morphology and dynamic properties, galaxy-galaxy merger events also affect chemical compositions of stars dramatically. In particular, stars formed during a gas-rich merger tend to have lower iron abundance due to metal-poor gas accretion and enhanced alpha-to-iron abundance ratio because of the star burst triggered by the merging event. Recently, we identified two stellar populations in Milky Way with relatively young stellar age showing this peculiar chemical composition based on the SDSS/APOGEE survey. The two merger events occurred at ~8 (z~1) and ~4 (z~0.4) Gyr ago, respectively. Using a numerical chemical evolution model, we simulated the distribution of stars in [a/Fe]-[Fe/H] diagram predicted by the merger scenario. We found that the well-known alpha abundance dichotomy of stars in Milky Way could be well explained by the model involving gas-rich mergers. The first merger event occurred at z~1 triggered a star burst that forms the majority of the chemical thick disk stars observed today with [a/Fe]~0.3. In other words, our model suggests a merger origin of the thick disk in the Milky Way. The second merger at z~0.4 leads to the formation of young, alpha-enhanced ([a/Fe]~0.1) and iron-poor ([Fe/H]-0.3) stars in the thin disk which contributes to ~10% of the Milky Way disk in mass.

RAS Logo

Lancaster University Logo

STFC logo

All attendees are expected to show respect and courtesy to other attendees and staff, and to adhere to the NAM Code of Conduct. To report harassment or violation of the code of conduct please click here.

© 2021 Royal Astronomical Society

Login