EIGHT NEW MILKY WAY COMPANIONS DISCOVERED IN FIRST-YEAR DARK ENERGY SURVEY DATA

K. Bechtol; A. Drlica-Wagner; E. Balbinot; A. Pieres; J. D. Simon; B. Yanny; B. Santiago; R. H. Wechsler; J. Frieman; A. R. Walker; P. Williams; E. Rozo; E. S. Rykoff; A. Queiroz; E. Luque; A. Benoit-Lévy; D. Tucker; I. Sevilla; R. A. Gruendl; L. N. Da Costa; A. Fausti Neto; M. A.G. Maia; T. Abbott; S. Allam; R. Armstrong; A. H. Bauer; G. M. Bernstein; R. A. Bernstein; E. Bertin; D. Brooks; E. Buckley-Geer; D. L. Burke; A. Carnero Rosell; F. J. Castander; R. Covarrubias; C. B. D'Andrea; D. L. DePoy; S. Desai; H. T. Diehl; T. F. Eifler; J. Estrada; A. E. Evrard; E. Fernandez; D. A. Finley; B. Flaugher; E. Gaztanaga; D. Gerdes; L. Girardi; M. Gladders; D. Gruen; G. Gutierrez; J. Hao; K. Honscheid; B. Jain; D. James; S. Kent; R. Kron; K. Kuehn; N. Kuropatkin; O. Lahav; T. S. Li; H. Lin; M. Makler; M. March; J. Marshall; P. Martini; K. W. Merritt; C. Miller; R. Miquel; J. Mohr; E. Neilsen; R. Nichol; B. Nord; R. Ogando; J. Peoples; D. Petravick; A. A. Plazas; A. K. Romer; A. Roodman; M. Sako; E. Sanchez; V. Scarpine; M. Schubnell; R. C. Smith; M. Soares-Santos; F. Sobreira; E. Suchyta; M. E.C. Swanson; G. Tarle; J. Thaler; D. Thomas; W. Wester; J. Zuntz

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/807/1/50

EIGHT NEW MILKY WAY COMPANIONS DISCOVERED IN FIRST-YEAR DARK ENERGY SURVEY DATA

K. Bechtol, A. Drlica-Wagner, E. Balbinot, A. Pieres, J. D. Simon, B. Yanny, B. Santiago, R. H. Wechsler, J. Frieman, A. R. Walker, P. Williams, E. Rozo, E. S. Rykoff, A. Queiroz, E. Luque, A. Benoit-Lévy, D. Tucker, I. Sevilla, R. A. Gruendl, L. N. Da CostaA. Fausti Neto, M. A.G. Maia, T. Abbott, S. Allam, R. Armstrong, A. H. Bauer, G. M. Bernstein, R. A. Bernstein, E. Bertin, D. Brooks, E. Buckley-Geer, D. L. Burke, A. Carnero Rosell, F. J. Castander, R. Covarrubias, C. B. D'Andrea, D. L. DePoy, S. Desai, H. T. Diehl, T. F. Eifler, J. Estrada, A. E. Evrard, E. Fernandez, D. A. Finley, B. Flaugher, E. Gaztanaga, D. Gerdes, L. Girardi, M. Gladders, D. Gruen, G. Gutierrez, J. Hao, K. Honscheid, B. Jain, D. James, S. Kent, R. Kron, K. Kuehn, N. Kuropatkin, O. Lahav, T. S. Li, H. Lin, M. Makler, M. March, J. Marshall, P. Martini, K. W. Merritt, C. Miller, R. Miquel, J. Mohr, E. Neilsen, R. Nichol, B. Nord, R. Ogando, J. Peoples, D. Petravick, A. A. Plazas, A. K. Romer, A. Roodman, M. Sako, E. Sanchez, V. Scarpine, M. Schubnell, R. C. Smith, M. Soares-Santos, F. Sobreira, E. Suchyta, M. E.C. Swanson, G. Tarle, J. Thaler, D. Thomas, W. Wester, J. Zuntz

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Abstract

We report the discovery of eight new Milky Way companions in ∼ 1800 deg² of optical imaging data collected during the first year of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). Each system is identified as a statistically significant over-density of individual stars consistent with the expected isochrone and luminosity function of an old and metal-poor stellar population. The objects span a wide range of absolute magnitudes (M_V from -2.2 to -7.4 mag), physical sizes (10 - 170 pc), and heliocentric distances (30 - 330 kpc). Based on the low surface brightnesses, large physical sizes, and/or large Galactocentric distances of these objects, several are likely to be new ultra-faint satellite galaxies of the Milky Way and/or Magellanic Clouds. We introduce a likelihood-based algorithm to search for and characterize stellar over-densities, as well as identify stars with high satellite membership probabilities. We also present completeness estimates for detecting ultra-faint galaxies of varying luminosities, sizes, and heliocentric distances in the first-year DES data.

Original language	English
Article number	50
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	807
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/807/1/50
State	Published - Jul 1 2015
Externally published	Yes

Funding

Funders	Funder number
California Institute of Technology
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Higher Education Funding Council for England
Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad	FPA2013-47986, AYA2012-39559, ESP2013-48274
Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Science Foundation	AST-1138766
Ohio State University
U.S. Department of Energy	DE-AC02-98CH10886
University College London
University of Cambridge
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
National Science Foundation	1125897, 1311924
Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences	1138766
Science and Technology Facilities Council	ST/K00090X/1, ST/M003574/1, ST/L000768/1, ST/L005573/1, ST/N001087/1, ST/M007030/1, ST/H001581/1, ST/L006529/1, ST/I000976/1, ST/L000652/1

Keywords

Local Group
galaxies: dwarf

Access to Document

10.1088/0004-637X/807/1/50

Cite this

Bechtol, K., Drlica-Wagner, A., Balbinot, E., Pieres, A., Simon, J. D., Yanny, B., Santiago, B., Wechsler, R. H., Frieman, J., Walker, A. R., Williams, P., Rozo, E., Rykoff, E. S., Queiroz, A., Luque, E., Benoit-Lévy, A., Tucker, D., Sevilla, I., Gruendl, R. A., ... Zuntz, J. (2015). EIGHT NEW MILKY WAY COMPANIONS DISCOVERED IN FIRST-YEAR DARK ENERGY SURVEY DATA. Astrophysical Journal, 807(1), Article 50. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/807/1/50

@article{89c74db5f4a243e4a02df438ddc403df,

title = "EIGHT NEW MILKY WAY COMPANIONS DISCOVERED IN FIRST-YEAR DARK ENERGY SURVEY DATA",

abstract = "We report the discovery of eight new Milky Way companions in ∼ 1800 deg2 of optical imaging data collected during the first year of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). Each system is identified as a statistically significant over-density of individual stars consistent with the expected isochrone and luminosity function of an old and metal-poor stellar population. The objects span a wide range of absolute magnitudes (MV from -2.2 to -7.4 mag), physical sizes (10 - 170 pc), and heliocentric distances (30 - 330 kpc). Based on the low surface brightnesses, large physical sizes, and/or large Galactocentric distances of these objects, several are likely to be new ultra-faint satellite galaxies of the Milky Way and/or Magellanic Clouds. We introduce a likelihood-based algorithm to search for and characterize stellar over-densities, as well as identify stars with high satellite membership probabilities. We also present completeness estimates for detecting ultra-faint galaxies of varying luminosities, sizes, and heliocentric distances in the first-year DES data.",

keywords = "Local Group, galaxies: dwarf",

author = "K. Bechtol and A. Drlica-Wagner and E. Balbinot and A. Pieres and Simon, {J. D.} and B. Yanny and B. Santiago and Wechsler, {R. H.} and J. Frieman and Walker, {A. R.} and P. Williams and E. Rozo and Rykoff, {E. S.} and A. Queiroz and E. Luque and A. Benoit-L{\'e}vy and D. Tucker and I. Sevilla and Gruendl, {R. A.} and {Da Costa}, {L. N.} and Neto, {A. Fausti} and Maia, {M. A.G.} and T. Abbott and S. Allam and R. Armstrong and Bauer, {A. H.} and Bernstein, {G. M.} and Bernstein, {R. A.} and E. Bertin and D. Brooks and E. Buckley-Geer and Burke, {D. L.} and Rosell, {A. Carnero} and Castander, {F. J.} and R. Covarrubias and D'Andrea, {C. B.} and DePoy, {D. L.} and S. Desai and Diehl, {H. T.} and Eifler, {T. F.} and J. Estrada and Evrard, {A. E.} and E. Fernandez and Finley, {D. A.} and B. Flaugher and E. Gaztanaga and D. Gerdes and L. Girardi and M. Gladders and D. Gruen and G. Gutierrez and J. Hao and K. Honscheid and B. Jain and D. James and S. Kent and R. Kron and K. Kuehn and N. Kuropatkin and O. Lahav and Li, {T. S.} and H. Lin and M. Makler and M. March and J. Marshall and P. Martini and Merritt, {K. W.} and C. Miller and R. Miquel and J. Mohr and E. Neilsen and R. Nichol and B. Nord and R. Ogando and J. Peoples and D. Petravick and Plazas, {A. A.} and Romer, {A. K.} and A. Roodman and M. Sako and E. Sanchez and V. Scarpine and M. Schubnell and Smith, {R. C.} and M. Soares-Santos and F. Sobreira and E. Suchyta and Swanson, {M. E.C.} and G. Tarle and J. Thaler and D. Thomas and W. Wester and J. Zuntz",

year = "2015",

month = jul,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/807/1/50",

language = "English",

volume = "807",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "1",

}

Bechtol, K, Drlica-Wagner, A, Balbinot, E, Pieres, A, Simon, JD, Yanny, B, Santiago, B, Wechsler, RH, Frieman, J, Walker, AR, Williams, P, Rozo, E, Rykoff, ES, Queiroz, A, Luque, E, Benoit-Lévy, A, Tucker, D, Sevilla, I, Gruendl, RA, Da Costa, LN, Neto, AF, Maia, MAG, Abbott, T, Allam, S, Armstrong, R, Bauer, AH, Bernstein, GM, Bernstein, RA, Bertin, E, Brooks, D, Buckley-Geer, E, Burke, DL, Rosell, AC, Castander, FJ, Covarrubias, R, D'Andrea, CB, DePoy, DL, Desai, S, Diehl, HT, Eifler, TF, Estrada, J, Evrard, AE, Fernandez, E, Finley, DA, Flaugher, B, Gaztanaga, E, Gerdes, D, Girardi, L, Gladders, M, Gruen, D, Gutierrez, G, Hao, J, Honscheid, K, Jain, B, James, D, Kent, S, Kron, R, Kuehn, K, Kuropatkin, N, Lahav, O, Li, TS, Lin, H, Makler, M, March, M, Marshall, J, Martini, P, Merritt, KW, Miller, C, Miquel, R, Mohr, J, Neilsen, E, Nichol, R, Nord, B, Ogando, R, Peoples, J, Petravick, D, Plazas, AA, Romer, AK, Roodman, A, Sako, M, Sanchez, E, Scarpine, V, Schubnell, M, Smith, RC, Soares-Santos, M, Sobreira, F, Suchyta, E, Swanson, MEC, Tarle, G, Thaler, J, Thomas, D, Wester, W & Zuntz, J 2015, 'EIGHT NEW MILKY WAY COMPANIONS DISCOVERED IN FIRST-YEAR DARK ENERGY SURVEY DATA', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 807, no. 1, 50. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/807/1/50

TY - JOUR

T1 - EIGHT NEW MILKY WAY COMPANIONS DISCOVERED IN FIRST-YEAR DARK ENERGY SURVEY DATA

AU - Bechtol, K.

AU - Drlica-Wagner, A.

AU - Balbinot, E.

AU - Pieres, A.

AU - Simon, J. D.

AU - Yanny, B.

AU - Santiago, B.

AU - Wechsler, R. H.

AU - Frieman, J.

AU - Walker, A. R.

AU - Williams, P.

AU - Rozo, E.

AU - Rykoff, E. S.

AU - Queiroz, A.

AU - Luque, E.

AU - Benoit-Lévy, A.

AU - Tucker, D.

AU - Sevilla, I.

AU - Gruendl, R. A.

AU - Da Costa, L. N.

AU - Neto, A. Fausti

AU - Maia, M. A.G.

AU - Abbott, T.

AU - Allam, S.

AU - Armstrong, R.

AU - Bauer, A. H.

AU - Bernstein, G. M.

AU - Bernstein, R. A.

AU - Bertin, E.

AU - Brooks, D.

AU - Buckley-Geer, E.

AU - Burke, D. L.

AU - Rosell, A. Carnero

AU - Castander, F. J.

AU - Covarrubias, R.

AU - D'Andrea, C. B.

AU - DePoy, D. L.

AU - Desai, S.

AU - Diehl, H. T.

AU - Eifler, T. F.

AU - Estrada, J.

AU - Evrard, A. E.

AU - Fernandez, E.

AU - Finley, D. A.

AU - Flaugher, B.

AU - Gaztanaga, E.

AU - Gerdes, D.

AU - Girardi, L.

AU - Gladders, M.

AU - Gruen, D.

AU - Gutierrez, G.

AU - Hao, J.

AU - Honscheid, K.

AU - Jain, B.

AU - James, D.

AU - Kent, S.

AU - Kron, R.

AU - Kuehn, K.

AU - Kuropatkin, N.

AU - Lahav, O.

AU - Li, T. S.

AU - Lin, H.

AU - Makler, M.

AU - March, M.

AU - Marshall, J.

AU - Martini, P.

AU - Merritt, K. W.

AU - Miller, C.

AU - Miquel, R.

AU - Mohr, J.

AU - Neilsen, E.

AU - Nichol, R.

AU - Nord, B.

AU - Ogando, R.

AU - Peoples, J.

AU - Petravick, D.

AU - Plazas, A. A.

AU - Romer, A. K.

AU - Roodman, A.

AU - Sako, M.

AU - Sanchez, E.

AU - Scarpine, V.

AU - Schubnell, M.

AU - Smith, R. C.

AU - Soares-Santos, M.

AU - Sobreira, F.

AU - Suchyta, E.

AU - Swanson, M. E.C.

AU - Tarle, G.

AU - Thaler, J.

AU - Thomas, D.

AU - Wester, W.

AU - Zuntz, J.

PY - 2015/7/1

Y1 - 2015/7/1

N2 - We report the discovery of eight new Milky Way companions in ∼ 1800 deg2 of optical imaging data collected during the first year of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). Each system is identified as a statistically significant over-density of individual stars consistent with the expected isochrone and luminosity function of an old and metal-poor stellar population. The objects span a wide range of absolute magnitudes (MV from -2.2 to -7.4 mag), physical sizes (10 - 170 pc), and heliocentric distances (30 - 330 kpc). Based on the low surface brightnesses, large physical sizes, and/or large Galactocentric distances of these objects, several are likely to be new ultra-faint satellite galaxies of the Milky Way and/or Magellanic Clouds. We introduce a likelihood-based algorithm to search for and characterize stellar over-densities, as well as identify stars with high satellite membership probabilities. We also present completeness estimates for detecting ultra-faint galaxies of varying luminosities, sizes, and heliocentric distances in the first-year DES data.

AB - We report the discovery of eight new Milky Way companions in ∼ 1800 deg2 of optical imaging data collected during the first year of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). Each system is identified as a statistically significant over-density of individual stars consistent with the expected isochrone and luminosity function of an old and metal-poor stellar population. The objects span a wide range of absolute magnitudes (MV from -2.2 to -7.4 mag), physical sizes (10 - 170 pc), and heliocentric distances (30 - 330 kpc). Based on the low surface brightnesses, large physical sizes, and/or large Galactocentric distances of these objects, several are likely to be new ultra-faint satellite galaxies of the Milky Way and/or Magellanic Clouds. We introduce a likelihood-based algorithm to search for and characterize stellar over-densities, as well as identify stars with high satellite membership probabilities. We also present completeness estimates for detecting ultra-faint galaxies of varying luminosities, sizes, and heliocentric distances in the first-year DES data.

KW - Local Group

KW - galaxies: dwarf

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84936803115&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/807/1/50

DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/807/1/50

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84936803115

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 807

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

M1 - 50

ER -

EIGHT NEW MILKY WAY COMPANIONS DISCOVERED IN FIRST-YEAR DARK ENERGY SURVEY DATA

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