An All-Sky Metallicity Catalogue Based on Gaia DR3 Spectro-Photometry and the Pristine Survey

Alapfogalmak

The authors have created an all-sky metallicity catalogue by combining Gaia DR3 spectro-photometric information and data from the Pristine narrow-band photometric survey, providing accurate metallicity estimates down to [Fe/H] ∼ -3.5.

Kivonat

The paper presents the creation of two complementary metallicity catalogues:

1. The Gaia-based CaHKsyn catalogue: The authors use the Gaia DR3 BP/RP spectro-photometric information to calculate synthetic narrow-band CaHK magnitudes that mimic the Pristine survey observations. This provides an all-sky, albeit shallower, equivalent to the Pristine survey.

2. The Pristine DR1 catalogue: The authors recalibrate the Pristine CaHK photometry using the Gaia-based CaHKsyn magnitudes as an absolute reference. They then use an updated version of the Pristine photometric metallicity model to derive photometric metallicities for the Pristine footprint, which covers over 6,500 deg2 of the sky.

The combined catalogues include over 2 million metal-poor star candidates ([Fe/H] < -1.0), over 200,000 very metal-poor candidates ([Fe/H] < -2.0), and around 8,000 extremely metal-poor candidates ([Fe/H] < -3.0). The authors demonstrate the usefulness of these catalogues for Galactic archaeology studies, hunting for the most metal-poor stars, and mapping the metallicity structure of the Milky Way.

Statisztikák

"The Gaia-based CaHKsyn catalogue contains synthetic narrow-band CaHK magnitudes for 219.2 million stars with BP/RP information in Gaia DR3."
"The Pristine DR1 catalogue contains recalibrated CaHK photometry and photometric metallicities for 6.4 million stars in the Pristine survey footprint."

Idézetek

"The resulting metallicity catalogue is accurate down to [Fe/H] ∼−3.5 and is particularly suited for the exploration of the metal-poor Milky Way ([Fe/H] < −1.0)."
"Combined, both photometric metallicity catalogues include more than two million metal-poor star candidates ([Fe/H]phot < −1.0) as well as more than 200,000 and ∼8,000 very and extremely metal-poor candidates ([Fe/H]phot < −2.0 and < −3.0, respectively)."

Főbb Kivonatok

The Pristine survey -- XXIII. Data Release 1 and an all-sky metallicity catalogue based on Gaia DR3 BP/RP spectro-photometry

by Nico... : arxiv.org 10-02-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2308.01344.pdf

Mélyebb kérdések

How can the authors further improve the accuracy and completeness of the metallicity catalogues, especially at the extremely metal-poor end?

To enhance the accuracy and completeness of the metallicity catalogues, particularly at the extremely metal-poor end ([Fe/H] < -3.0), the authors can implement several strategies:

Increased Spectroscopic Follow-Up: Conducting targeted spectroscopic follow-up observations of the most promising candidates identified in the photometric catalogues can provide definitive metallicity measurements. This would help confirm the photometric estimates and refine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) at low metallicities.

Refinement of Photometric Models: The authors could further refine the photometric metallicity model by incorporating additional parameters that influence metallicity, such as effective temperature (Teff) and surface gravity (log g). This could improve the model's sensitivity to variations in metallicity, especially in the extremely metal-poor regime.

Utilization of Machine Learning Techniques: Implementing machine learning algorithms could help in identifying patterns and correlations in the data that traditional methods might overlook. By training models on existing spectroscopic data, the authors could improve the predictive power of photometric metallicity estimates.

Cross-Matching with Other Surveys: Integrating data from other large-scale surveys, such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) or the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST), could provide additional spectroscopic information that enhances the completeness of the metallicity catalogues.

Addressing Selection Biases: Ensuring that the selection criteria for identifying metal-poor stars are robust and account for potential biases in the data collection process can help in obtaining a more representative sample of extremely metal-poor stars.

By implementing these strategies, the authors can significantly improve the accuracy and completeness of the metallicity catalogues, thereby facilitating more effective studies of the early Milky Way and its stellar populations.

What are the potential biases and limitations of using photometric metallicity estimates compared to spectroscopic measurements, and how can these be mitigated?

Photometric metallicity estimates, while valuable, come with several biases and limitations when compared to spectroscopic measurements:

Calibration Uncertainties: Photometric metallicity estimates rely heavily on the calibration of the photometric system. Any inaccuracies in the calibration can lead to systematic errors in the derived metallicities. To mitigate this, the authors should ensure that the calibration is regularly updated and validated against high-quality spectroscopic data.

Sensitivity to Stellar Parameters: Photometric methods can be sensitive to other stellar parameters, such as temperature and gravity, which may not be accurately determined. This can introduce biases in metallicity estimates. To address this, the authors can incorporate multi-dimensional models that account for these parameters, improving the robustness of the metallicity estimates.

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (S/N) Limitations: The accuracy of photometric metallicity estimates can be compromised in low S/N conditions, particularly for faint stars. The authors can apply strict quality cuts to exclude low S/N data and focus on high-quality measurements, ensuring that only reliable estimates are included in the catalogues.

Contamination from Variable Stars: Variable stars can produce erroneous photometric measurements, leading to inaccurate metallicity estimates. Implementing a probabilistic model to identify and flag likely variable stars, as mentioned in the context, can help mitigate this issue.

Inherent Limitations of Photometric Techniques: Photometric methods may not capture the full complexity of stellar atmospheres, particularly for stars with peculiar chemical compositions. The authors can complement photometric data with spectroscopic follow-up to validate and refine the metallicity estimates.

By addressing these biases and limitations, the authors can enhance the reliability of photometric metallicity estimates, making them a more effective tool for studying the chemical evolution of the Milky Way.

How can the metallicity maps derived from these catalogues be used to better understand the formation and evolution of the Milky Way's halo and disk components?

The metallicity maps derived from the catalogues can provide critical insights into the formation and evolution of the Milky Way's halo and disk components through several avenues:

Tracing Stellar Populations: By analyzing the spatial distribution of metallicity across the Milky Way, researchers can trace the origins and evolutionary paths of different stellar populations. For instance, a higher concentration of metal-poor stars in the halo may indicate the remnants of early galactic formation processes, while more metal-rich stars in the disk can reflect later star formation events.

Understanding Galactic Mergers: The metallicity maps can reveal signatures of past galactic mergers and interactions. For example, the presence of metal-poor stars in certain regions may suggest accretion events from smaller galaxies, providing clues about the hierarchical assembly of the Milky Way.

Studying Chemical Enrichment: The maps can be used to study the chemical enrichment history of the Milky Way. By correlating metallicity with age estimates of stellar populations, researchers can infer the timeline of star formation and supernova events that contributed to the chemical evolution of the galaxy.

Investigating Galactic Dynamics: The distribution of metallicity can also inform models of galactic dynamics and structure. For instance, variations in metallicity across the disk can indicate the influence of spiral arms, bar structures, or other dynamical features on star formation and chemical evolution.

Exploring the Milky Way's Halo Structure: The metallicity maps can help delineate the structure of the Milky Way's halo, revealing whether it is composed of a smooth distribution of stars or if it contains substructures such as streams and clumps. This information is vital for understanding the halo's formation and its role in the overall galactic ecosystem.

By leveraging the metallicity maps derived from the catalogues, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the Milky Way's formation and evolution, shedding light on the processes that shaped our galaxy over billions of years.