NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2012B-0182
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2012B-0182 |
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PI: Tim Axelrod, University of Arizona, taxelrod@as.arizona.edu
Address: Steward Observatory, 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States
CoI: Abhijit Saha, NOAO
CoI: Knut Olsen, NOAO
CoI: Edward Olszewski, University of Arizona
CoI: Spencer Axelrod, BASIS Tucson (High School)
Title: LMC Microlensing Source Stars - Stripped from the SMC?
Abstract:
Recently Olsen et al (2011) discovered a population of stars in the
LMC which apparently have their origin in the SMC. This discovery has
been given theoretical context by the work of Besla et al (2012), who
have developed a model for the interaction of the SMC and LMC over the
past several Gyr which successfully predicts the morphology of the
Magellanic Stream and Bridge, and also suggests that some tidally
stripped SMC stars may lie behind the LMC. They further suggest that
these stars may be the stars being lensed in the microlensing events
that have been observed toward the LMC. The number and duration of
these events have long been difficult to explain from the known stellar
populations along the line of sight to the LMC. If the Besla et al
explanation could be proven, this longstanding puzzle would be solved.
We propose to test it by measuring the radial velocities and
metallicities of a known set of microlensing source stars with GMOS on
Gemini-S.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2012B-0182 |
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