A Galactic ring of minimum stellar density near the solar orbit radius

• Published in: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2013-11, Vol.435 (3), p.2299-2321
• Main Authors: Barros, D. A., Lépine, J. R. D., Junqueira, T. C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astrophysics; Density; Kinematics; Orbits; Simulation; Star & galaxy formation
• ISSN: 0035-8711; 1365-2966
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stt1454

We analyse the secular effects of a long-lived Galactic spiral structure on the stellar orbits with mean radii close to the corotation resonance. By test-particle simulations and different spiral potential models with parameters constrained on observations, we verified the formation of a minimum with amplitude ∼30-40 per cent of the background disc stellar density at corotation. Such a minimum is formed by the secular angular momentum transfer between stars and the spiral density wave on both sides of corotation. We demonstrate that the secular loss (gain) of angular momentum and decrease (increase) of mean orbital radius of stars just inside (outside) corotation can counterbalance the opposite trend of exchange of angular momentum shown by stars orbiting the librational points L 4/5 at the corotation circle. Such secular processes actually allow steady spiral waves to promote radial migration across corotation. We propose some pieces of observational evidence for the minimum stellar density in the Galactic disc, such as its direct relation to the minimum in the observed rotation curve of the Galaxy at the radius r ∼ 9 kpc (for R 0 = 7.5 kpc), as well as its association with a minimum in the distribution of Galactic radii of a sample of open clusters older than 1 Gyr. The closeness of the solar orbit radius to the corotation resonance implies that the solar orbit lies inside a ring of minimum surface density (stellar + gas). This also implies a correction to larger values for the estimated total mass of the Galactic disc, and consequently, a greater contribution of the disc component to the inner rotation curve of the Galaxy.