Orkney, Matthew D. A., Laporte, Chervin F. P., Grand, Robert J. J., Gómez, Facundo A., van de Voort, Freeke ![]() ![]() |
Preview |
PDF
- Accepted Post-Print Version
Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
We investigate the properties of mergers comparable to the Gaia–Sausage–Enceladus (GSE) using cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of Milky Way-like galaxies. The merger progenitors span an order of magnitude in their peak stellar mass (3×108106M⊙ ), but most of these do not follow the merger to low orbital energies. Between 0 and 1 of these satellites may survive to z = 0, but with no clear signatures of their past association. We show that the fraction of stars originating from GSE-like mergers is reduced for lower metallicities (reaching a minimum around [Fe/H] = −2), and also within 5 kpc of the Galactic Centre. Whilst these central regions are dominated by in-situ stars, the ex-situ fraction trends towards a 100 per cent asymptote when considering the most metal-poor stars ([Fe/H] ≪ −2.5). Considering this, its near proximity, and its small volume on the sky, the Galactic Centre lends itself as a prime environment in the search for the stars from the earliest galaxies, whilst avoiding contamination from GSE stars.
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Date Type: | Publication |
Status: | Published |
Schools: | Physics and Astronomy |
Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
ISSN: | 0035-8711 |
Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 20 October 2023 |
Date of Acceptance: | 28 July 2023 |
Last Modified: | 06 Dec 2024 05:00 |
URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/163347 |
Actions (repository staff only)
![]() |
Edit Item |