Observational Evidence for the Infall of Low-Metallicity Gas onto the Milky Way

B. P. Wakker; J. C. Howk; B. D. Savage; S. L. Tufte; R. J. Reynolds; H. van Woerden; U. J. Schwarz; R. F. Peletier; P. M. W. Kalberla

Observational Evidence for the Infall of Low-Metallicity Gas onto the Milky Way

B. P. Wakker, J. C. Howk, B. D. Savage, S. L. Tufte, R. J. Reynolds, H. van Woerden, U. J. Schwarz, R. F. Peletier, P. M. W. Kalberla

Astronomy

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Abstract

We find evidence for a hitherto unknown component of the Milky Way: infalling gas with low heavy element abundances. Infall of metal-poor matter has been the preferred solution to the long-standing ``G-dwarf problem'', the fact that the abundance distribution of unevolved stars is narrower than expected in a simple model (e.g. Pagel 1997). Our conclusion is based on the metallicity we measure for the high-velocity cloud complex C of 0.070+/-0.020 times solar, using the Seyfert galaxy Mark 290 as a background probe. We also determine a lower limit of 5 kpc to its distance and argue that it is likely that D3 Gyr ago (Toomre, in Kerr & Sullivan 1969). This work was supported by NASA under grant #GO6590.01-95A

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	887
Journal	Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society
Volume	31
Publication status	Published - 1999

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@article{040f6395529e405cb77c7fd29326f9d3,

title = "Observational Evidence for the Infall of Low-Metallicity Gas onto the Milky Way",

abstract = "We find evidence for a hitherto unknown component of the Milky Way: infalling gas with low heavy element abundances. Infall of metal-poor matter has been the preferred solution to the long-standing ``G-dwarf problem'', the fact that the abundance distribution of unevolved stars is narrower than expected in a simple model (e.g. Pagel 1997). Our conclusion is based on the metallicity we measure for the high-velocity cloud complex C of 0.070+/-0.020 times solar, using the Seyfert galaxy Mark 290 as a background probe. We also determine a lower limit of 5 kpc to its distance and argue that it is likely that D3 Gyr ago (Toomre, in Kerr & Sullivan 1969). This work was supported by NASA under grant #GO6590.01-95A",

author = "Wakker, {B. P.} and Howk, {J. C.} and Savage, {B. D.} and Tufte, {S. L.} and Reynolds, {R. J.} and {van Woerden}, H. and Schwarz, {U. J.} and Peletier, {R. F.} and Kalberla, {P. M. W.}",

note = "American Astronomical Society, 194th AAS Meeting",

year = "1999",

language = "English",

volume = "31",

pages = "887",

journal = "Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society",

issn = "0002-7537",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observational Evidence for the Infall of Low-Metallicity Gas onto the Milky Way

AU - Wakker, B. P.

AU - Howk, J. C.

AU - Savage, B. D.

AU - Tufte, S. L.

AU - Reynolds, R. J.

AU - van Woerden, H.

AU - Schwarz, U. J.

AU - Peletier, R. F.

AU - Kalberla, P. M. W.

N1 - American Astronomical Society, 194th AAS Meeting

PY - 1999

Y1 - 1999

N2 - We find evidence for a hitherto unknown component of the Milky Way: infalling gas with low heavy element abundances. Infall of metal-poor matter has been the preferred solution to the long-standing ``G-dwarf problem'', the fact that the abundance distribution of unevolved stars is narrower than expected in a simple model (e.g. Pagel 1997). Our conclusion is based on the metallicity we measure for the high-velocity cloud complex C of 0.070+/-0.020 times solar, using the Seyfert galaxy Mark 290 as a background probe. We also determine a lower limit of 5 kpc to its distance and argue that it is likely that D3 Gyr ago (Toomre, in Kerr & Sullivan 1969). This work was supported by NASA under grant #GO6590.01-95A

AB - We find evidence for a hitherto unknown component of the Milky Way: infalling gas with low heavy element abundances. Infall of metal-poor matter has been the preferred solution to the long-standing ``G-dwarf problem'', the fact that the abundance distribution of unevolved stars is narrower than expected in a simple model (e.g. Pagel 1997). Our conclusion is based on the metallicity we measure for the high-velocity cloud complex C of 0.070+/-0.020 times solar, using the Seyfert galaxy Mark 290 as a background probe. We also determine a lower limit of 5 kpc to its distance and argue that it is likely that D3 Gyr ago (Toomre, in Kerr & Sullivan 1969). This work was supported by NASA under grant #GO6590.01-95A

M3 - Article

SN - 0002-7537

VL - 31

SP - 887

JO - Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society

JF - Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society

ER -

Observational Evidence for the Infall of Low-Metallicity Gas onto the Milky Way

Abstract

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