- Main
The late-type stellar density profile in the Galactic Center: A statistical approach
- Author(s): Chappell, SN
- Ghez, AM
- Do, T
- Martinez, GD
- Yelda, S
- Sitarski, BN
- Lu, JR
- Morris, MR
- et al.
Published Web Location
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921316012187Abstract
The late-type stellar population in the Galactic Center was first predicted to reside in a dynamically relaxed cusp (power law slope ranging from 3/2 to 7/4). However, other works - which rely on models to correct for projection effects - have suggested a flat distribution instead. The need for this correction is due to the lack of information regarding the line-of-sight distances. With a two decade long baseline in astrometric measurements, we are now able to measure significant projected radial accelerations, six of which are newly reported here, which directly constrain line-of-sight distances. Here we present a statistical approach to take advantage of this information and more accurately constrain the shape of the radial density profile of the late-type stellar population in the Galactic Center.
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