A. de Torres

European Space Astronomy Centre

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R. Geyer

TU Dresden

U. Bastian

Heidelberg University

U. Lammers

European Space Astronomy Centre

M. Crosta

Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino

P. J. McMillan

Lund University

M. Sarasso

Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino

P. Charlot

Université de Bordeaux

S. Liao

Lanzhou University of Technology

D. Hobbs

Lund University

U. Abbas

Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino

Cooperative Institutions

Max Planck Society

475

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

270

European Space Astronomy Centre

151

Université Paris Sciences et Lettres

117

Centre National d'Études Spatiales

117

Observatoire de Paris

114

National Institute for Astrophysics

106

University of Cambridge

Universitat de Barcelona

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Gaia Data Release 2

Astronomy and Astrophysics (2020)

A. Helmi F. van Leeuwen P. J. McMillan D. Massari T. Antoja

This is a corrigendum to Gaia Collaboration (2018). It corrects errors in Appendix B, which describes the modelling of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC). One of these errors also affects Fig. 18 of the paper, which shows the rotation curve and median radial motion in the LMC. No other results in the paper are affected. There should be no vector products in Appendix B, and everywhere a vector product appears should be a scalar product. This affects Eqs. (B.5), (B.8), (B.10), (B.12), (B.13), and (B.20). Equation (B.10), which defines one component of position within the plane of the galaxy, contains an additional typographical error, and it should have read (Farmula Presented) Equation (B.21) is incorrect. The factor of (ax + by + z) is applied to the wrong part of the equation. It should have read (Farmula Presented) This error affects the derived deprojected motions of stars in the LMC, and means that changes in the observational signature of the bulk motion away from the centre are not properly accounted for. The effect becomes more significant further from the centre. Figure 1 shows the resulting median tangential velocity, vT (the rotation curve), and median radial velocity vR as a function of de-projected radius R for the LMC, which is otherwise produced in the same way as before. The major differences between this and the equivalent figure in Gaia Collaboration (2018) are as follows The rotation curve reaches a greater velocity (~85 km s-1 versus ~75 km s-1) and remains flat beyond 6 kpc, as opposed to starting to fall. The difference in asymmetric drift for the blue and red populations is clearer the blue population, which is typically younger than the redder population, is rotating faster. The apparent outward motion of the stellar populations is much smaller. The blue population has almost no net radial motion, while the red population has one of .8 km s-1 (as opposed to ~20 km s-1). The difference in radial motion between the y 0 populations is dramatically reduced, as is the difference between the value derived assuming the known line-of-sight bulk motion and the one derived leaving this value free.

10.1051/0004-6361/202039217

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Citations (8)

Gaia Early Data Release 3: Acceleration of the solar system from Gaia astrometry

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) (2021)

S. A. Klioner F. Mignard L. Lindegren U. Bastian P. J. McMillan

Context. Gaia Early Data Release 3 ( Gaia EDR3) provides accurate astrometry for about 1.6 million compact (QSO-like) extragalactic sources, 1.2 million of which have the best-quality five-parameter astrometric solutions. Aims. The proper motions of QSO-like sources are used to reveal a systematic pattern due to the acceleration of the solar systembarycentre with respect to the rest frame of the Universe. Apart from being an important scientific result by itself, the acceleration measured in this way is a good quality indicator of the Gaia astrometric solution. Methods. Theeffect of the acceleration was obtained as a part of the general expansion of the vector field of proper motions in vector spherical harmonics (VSH). Various versions of the VSH fit and various subsets of the sources were tried and compared to get the most consistent result and a realistic estimate of its uncertainty. Additional tests with the Gaia astrometric solution were used to get a better idea of the possible systematic errors in the estimate. Results. Our best estimate of the acceleration based on Gaia EDR3 is (2.32 ± 0.16) × 10 −10 m s −2 (or 7.33 ±0.51 km s −1 Myr−1) towards α = 269.1° ± 5.4°, δ = −31.6° ± 4.1°, corresponding to a proper motion amplitude of 5.05 ±0.35 μ as yr −1 . This is in good agreement with the acceleration expected from current models of the Galactic gravitational potential. We expect that future Gaia data releases will provide estimates of the acceleration with uncertainties substantially below 0.1 μ as yr −1 .

Astrometry

Source

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Citations (10)

GaiaEarly Data Release 3

Astronomy and Astrophysics (2020)

L. Lindegren S. A. Klioner J. Hernández A. Bombrun M. Ramos-Lerate

Gaia Early Data Release 3 (Gaia EDR3) contains results for 1.812 billion sources in the magnitude range G = 3 to 21 based on observations collected by the European Space Agency Gaia satellite during the first 34 months of its operational phase. We describe the input data, the models, and the processing used for the astrometric content of Gaia EDR3, as well as the validation of these results performed within the astrometry task. The processing broadly followed the same procedures as for Gaia DR2, but with significant improvements to the modelling of observations. For the first time in the Gaia data processing, colour-dependent calibrations of the line- and point-spread functions have been used for sources with well-determined colours from DR2. In the astrometric processing these sources obtained five-parameter solutions, whereas other sources were processed using a special calibration that allowed a pseudocolour to be estimated as the sixth astrometric parameter. Compared with DR2, the astrometric calibration models have been extended, and the spin-related distortion model includes a self-consistent determination of basic-angle variations, improving the global parallax zero point. Gaia EDR3 gives full astrometric data (positions at epoch J2016.0, parallaxes, and proper motions) for 1.468 billion sources (585 million with five-parameter solutions, 882 million with six parameters), and mean positions at J2016.0 for an additional 344 million. Solutions with five parameters are generally more accurate than six-parameter solutions, and are available for 93% of the sources brighter than G = 17 mag. The median uncertainty in parallax and annual proper motion is 0.02-0.03 mas at magnitude G = 9 to 14, and around 0.5 mas at G = 20. Extensive characterisation of the statistical properties of the solutions is provided, including the estimated angular power spectrum of parallax bias from the quasars.

Astrometry

Parallax

Data Processing

10.1051/0004-6361/202039709

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Citations (880)

Gaia Data Release 2: The astrometric solution

Astronomy and Astrophysics (2018)

L. Lindegren J. Hernández A. Bombrun S. Klioner U. Bastian

Context. Gaia Data Release 2 (Gaia DR2) contains results for 1693 million sources in the magnitude range 3 to 21 based on observations collected by the European Space Agency Gaia satellite during the first 22 months of its operational phase.Aims. We describe the input data, models, and processing used for the astrometric content of Gaia DR2, and the validation of these resultsperformed within the astrometry task.Methods. Some 320 billion centroid positions from the pre-processed astrometric CCD observations were used to estimate the five astrometric parameters (positions, parallaxes, and proper motions) for 1332 million sources, and approximate positions at the reference epoch J2015.5 for an additional 361 million mostly faint sources. These data were calculated in two steps. First, the satellite attitude and the astrometric calibration parameters of the CCDs were obtained in an astrometric global iterative solution for 16 million selected sources, using about 1% of the input data. This primary solution was tied to the extragalactic International Celestial Reference System (ICRS) by means of quasars. The resulting attitude and calibration were then used to calculate the astrometric parameters of all the sources. Special validation solutions were used to characterise the random and systematic errors in parallax and proper motion.Results. For the sources with five-parameter astrometric solutions, the median uncertainty in parallax and position at the reference epoch J2015.5 is about 0.04 mas for bright (G = 17 mag, and 0.7 masat G = 20 mag. In the proper motion components the corresponding uncertainties are 0.05, 0.2, and 1.2 mas yr−1 , respectively.The optical reference frame defined by Gaia DR2 is aligned with ICRS and is non-rotating with respect to the quasars to within 0.15 mas yr−1 . From the quasars and validation solutions we estimate that systematics in the parallaxes depending on position, magnitude, and colour are generally below 0.1 mas, but the parallaxes are on the whole too small by about 0.03 mas. Significant spatial correlations of up to 0.04 mas in parallax and 0.07 mas yr−1 in proper motion are seen on small ( DR2 astrometry are given in the appendices.

Astrometry

Parallax

Proper motion

Epoch (astronomy)

Ephemeris

Source

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Citations (1,243)

GaiaEarly Data Release 3

Astronomy and Astrophysics (2020)

L. Lindegren U. Bastian M. Biermann A. Bombrun A. de Torres

Gaia Early Data Release 3 (Gaia EDR3) gives trigonometric parallaxes for nearly 1.5 billion sources. Inspection of the EDR3 data for sources identified as quasars reveals that their parallaxes are biased, that is systematically offset from the expected distribution around zero, by a few tens of microarcsec. We attempt to map the main dependencies of the parallax bias in EDR3. In principle this could provide a recipe for correcting the EDR3 parallaxes. For faint sources the quasars provide the most direct way to estimate parallax bias. In order to extend this to brighter sources and a broader range of colours, we use differential methods based on physical pairs (binaries) and sources in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The functional forms of the dependencies are explored by mapping the systematic differences between EDR3 and DR2 parallaxes. The parallax bias is found to depend in a non-trivial way on (at least) the magnitude, colour, and ecliptic latitude of the source. Different dependencies apply to the five- and six-parameter solutions in EDR3. While it is not possible to derive a definitive recipe for the parallax correction, we give tentative expressions to be used at the researcher's discretion and point out some possible paths towards future improvements.

Parallax

Ecliptic

Astrometry

10.1051/0004-6361/202039653

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Citations (682)

Gaia Early Data Release 3

Astronomy and Astrophysics (2020)

X. Luri L. Chemin G. Clementini H. E. Delgado P. J. McMillan

We compare the Gaia DR2 and Gaia EDR3 performances in the study of the Magellanic Clouds and show the clear improvements in precision and accuracy in the new release. We also show that the systematics still present in the data make the determination of the 3D geometry of the LMC a difficult endeavour; this is at the very limit of the usefulness of the Gaia EDR3 astrometry, but it may become feasible with the use of additional external data. We derive radial and tangential velocity maps and global profiles for the LMC for the several subsamples we defined. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the two planar components of the ordered and random motions are derived for multiple stellar evolutionary phases in a galactic disc outside the Milky Way, showing the differences between younger and older phases. We also analyse the spatial structure and motions in the central region, the bar, and the disc, providing new insights into features and kinematics. Finally, we show that the Gaia EDR3 data allows clearly resolving the Magellanic Bridge, and we trace the density and velocity flow of the stars from the SMC towards the LMC not only globally, but also separately for young and evolved populations. This allows us to confirm an evolved population in the Bridge that is slightly shift from the younger population. Additionally, we were able to study the outskirts of both Magellanic Clouds, in which we detected some well-known features and indications of new ones.

Astrometry

Local Group

Large Magellanic Cloud

Stellar kinematics

10.1051/0004-6361/202039588

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Citations (108)

GaiaData Release 1

Astronomy and Astrophysics (2016)

A. G. A. Brown A. Vallenari T. Prusti J. H. J. de Bruijne F. Mignard

At about 1000 days after the launch of Gaia we present the first Gaia data release, Gaia DR1, consisting of astrometry and photometry for over 1 billion sources brighter than magnitude 20.7. We summarize Gaia DR1 and provide illustrations of the scientific quality of the data, followed by a discussion of the limitations due to the preliminary nature of this release. Gaia DR1 consists of: a primary astrometric data set which contains the positions, parallaxes, and mean proper motions for about 2 million of the brightest stars in common with the Hipparcos and Tycho-2 catalogues and a secondary astrometric data set containing the positions for an additional 1.1 billion sources. The second component is the photometric data set,consisting of mean G-band magnitudes for all sources. The G-band light curves and the characteristics of ~3000 Cepheid and RR Lyrae stars, observed at high cadence around the south ecliptic pole, form the third component. For the primary astrometric data set the typical uncertainty is about 0.3 mas for the positions and parallaxes, and about 1 mas/yr for the proper motions. A systematic component of ~0.3 mas should be added to the parallax uncertainties. For the subset of ~94000 Hipparcos stars in the primary data set, the proper motions are much more precise at about 0.06 mas/yr. For the secondary astrometric data set, the typical uncertainty of the positions is ~10 mas. The median uncertainties on the mean G-band magnitudes range from the mmag level to ~0.03 mag over the magnitude range 5 to 20.7. Gaia DR1 represents a major advance in the mapping of the heavens and the availability of basic stellar data that underpin observational astrophysics. Nevertheless, the very preliminary nature of this first Gaia data release does lead to a number of important limitations to the data quality which should be carefully considered before drawing conclusions from the data.

Astrometry

10.1051/0004-6361/201629512

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Citations (1,867)

GaiaEarly Data Release 3

Astronomy and Astrophysics (2021)

T. Antoja P. J. McMillan G. Kordopatis P. Ramos A. Helmi

We aim to demonstrate the scientific potential of the Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) for the study of the Milky Way structure and evolution. We used astrometric positions, proper motions, parallaxes, and photometry from EDR3 to select different populations and components and to calculate the distances and velocities in the direction of the anticentre. We explore the disturbances of the current disc, the spatial and kinematical distributions of early accreted versus in-situ stars, the structures in the outer parts of the disc, and the orbits of open clusters Berkeley 29 and Saurer 1. We find that: i) the dynamics of the Galactic disc are very complex with vertical asymmetries, and new correlations, including a bimodality with disc stars with large angular momentum moving vertically upwards from below the plane, and disc stars with slightly lower angular momentum moving preferentially downwards; ii) we resolve the kinematic substructure (diagonal ridges) in the outer parts of the disc for the first time; iii) the red sequence that has been associated with the proto-Galactic disc that was present at the time of the merger with Gaia-Enceladus-Sausage is currently radially concentrated up to around 14 kpc, while the blue sequence that has been associated with debris of the satellite extends beyond that; iv) there are density structures in the outer disc, both above and below the plane, most probably related to Monoceros, the Anticentre Stream, and TriAnd, for which the Gaia data allow an exhaustive selection of candidate member stars and dynamical study; and v) the open clusters Berkeley~29 and Saurer~1, despite being located at large distances from the Galactic centre, are on nearly circular disc-like orbits. We demonstrate how, once again, the Gaia are crucial for our understanding of the different pieces of our Galaxy and their connection to its global structure and history.

Galactic plane

Astrometry

Substructure

10.1051/0004-6361/202039714

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Citations (75)