Triangulum II: Possibly a Very Dense Ultra-faint Dwarf Galaxy
Abstract
Laevens et al. recently discovered Triangulum II (Tri II), a satellite of the Milky Way. Its Galactocentric distance is 36 kpc, and its luminosity is only 450 {L}⊙ . Using Keck/DEIMOS, we measured the radial velocities of six member stars within 1.‧2 of the center of Tri II, and we found a velocity dispersion of {σ }v={5.1}-1.4+4.0 {km} {{{s}}}-1. We also measured the metallicities of three stars and found a range of 0.8 dex in [Fe/H]. The velocity and metallicity dispersions identify Tri II as a dark matter-dominated galaxy. The galaxy is moving very quickly toward the Galactic center ({v}{{GSR}}=-262 {km} {{{s}}}-1). Although it might be in the process of being tidally disrupted as it approaches pericenter, there is no strong evidence for disruption in our data set. The ellipticity is low, and the mean velocity, < {v}{{helio}}> =-382.1+/- 2.9 {km} {{{s}}}-1, rules out an association with the Triangulum-Andromeda substructure or the Pan-Andromeda Archaeological Survey stellar stream. If Tri II is in dynamical equilibrium, then it would have a mass-to-light ratio of {3600}-2100+3500 {M}⊙ {L}⊙ -1, the highest of any non-disrupting galaxy (those for which dynamical mass estimates are reliable). The density within the 3D half-light radius would be {4.8}-3.5+8.1 {M}⊙ {{{pc}}}-3, even higher than Segue 1. Hence, Tri II is an excellent candidate for the indirect detection of dark matter annihilation.
The data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 2015
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1510.03856
- Bibcode:
- 2015ApJ...814L...7K
- Keywords:
-
- galaxies: abundances;
- galaxies: dwarf;
- Local Group;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted to ApJL
