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Is the Large Magellanic Cloud Microlensing Due to an Intervening Dwarf Galaxy?

Authors :
Mark Pratt
David R. Alves
Kenneth C. Freeman
David P. Bennett
Charles Alcock
K. H. Cook
S. L. Marshall
Dante Minniti
A. B. Tomaney
Matthew J. Lehner
Bruce A. Peterson
Christopher W. Stubbs
D. L. Welch
A. C. Becker
R. A. Allsman
William J. Sutherland
T. S. Axelrod
T. Vandehei
Peter J. Quinn
A. W. Rodgers
A. Rorabeck
Kim Griest
Source :
Scopus-Elsevier
Publication Year :
1997
Publisher :
American Astronomical Society, 1997.

Abstract

The recent suggestion that the microlensing events observed towards the Large Magellanic Cloud are due to an intervening Sgr-like dwarf galaxy is examined. A search for foreground RR Lyrae in the MACHO photometry database yields 20 stars whose distance distribution follow the expected halo density profile. Cepheid and red giant branch clump stars in the MACHO database are consistent with membership in the LMC. There is also no evidence in the literature for a distinct kinematic population, for intervening gas, or for the turn-off of such a hypothetical galaxy. We conclude that if the lenses are in a foreground galaxy, it must be a particularly dark galaxy.

Details

ISSN :
0004637X
Volume :
490
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
The Astrophysical Journal
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....e8749cebc09e68f8f0e7862da6d8efb7
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1086/311016