a clear, flat view of stellar motion in Gaia

Using two new techniques, I am mapping the phase space with unprecedented sharpness and uniformity.

In this map, multiple new features are identified, including two shocking ones: 1. a tilted under-density; 2. a tilted cliff of metallicity.

Click the plot below to an interactive tool of visualization.

Explanation of coordinates: there are in total 4D for the in-disk motions: (x, y, vx, vy), or equivalently into action-angle variables: (jphi, angle phi) for guiding center motion and (jr, angle r) for the epicycle motion. Large jphi means high angular momentum. Large jr means more eccentric orbit.

The plots shows guiding center distribution with certain epicycle parameters set by the two sliders.

Contacts

scheng@ias.edu
+1 443 207 1532
Institute for Advanced Study
Princeton, NJ 08540, USA