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| Paper: |
Triaxiality in the Halo and Thick Disk of the Galaxy |
| Volume: |
92, Formation of the Galactic Halo. . . . Inside and Out |
| Page: |
88 |
| Authors: |
Larsen, Jeffrey A.; Humphreys, Roberta M. |
| Abstract: |
We present results from our searches for triaxiality in the halo and thick disk using the Automated Plate Scanner Catalog of POSS I. Star counts are made in two bandpasses in 16 square degree fields in the direction of the galactic center and anticenter. Each of the fields has an independent photometric calibration and is chosen to provide a systematic coverage of the Galaxy towards the center and anticenter. The fields have an average completeness limit of 20.5 magnitudes in O and 19.5 magnitudes in E. If the halo or the thick disk is triaxial our magnitude limited sample should show the bluer stars (O -- E <= 1.0) on one side of the galactic center to be brighter and more numerous than those on the opposite side. This signature may be reflected when looking towards the anticenter. We detect such a signature towards the Galactic center with the same sense as the IRAS AGB stellar bar discovered by Weinberg but 30 degrees above Weinberg's fields. This may suggest that the thick disk is triaxial. Further observations are needed to confirm this. |
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