arXiv subjects

Andrew A. Cole

Publications and source records attributed to Andrew A. Cole.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

MOA-2009-BLG-319Lb: A Sub-Saturn Planet Inside the Predicted Mass Desert

We present an adaptive optics (AO) analysis of images from the Keck-II telescope NIRC2 instrument of the planetary microlensing event MOA-2009-BLG-319. The $\sim$10 year baseline between the event and the Keck observations allows the planetary host star to be detected at a separation of $66.5\pm 1.7\,$mas from the source star, consistent with the light curve model prediction. The combination of the host star brightness and light curve parameters yield host star and planet masses of M_host = 0.514 $\pm$ 0.063M_Sun and m_p = 66.0 $\pm$ 8.1M_Earth at a distance of $D_L = 7.0 \pm 0.7\,$kpc. The star-planet projected separation is $2.03 \pm 0.21\,$AU. The planet-star mass ratio of this system, $q = (3.857 \pm 0.029)\times 10^{-4}$, places it in the predicted "planet desert" at $10^{-4} < q < 4\times 10^{-4}$ according to the runaway gas accretion scenario of the core accretion theory. Seven of the 30 planets in the Suzuki et al. (2016) sample fall in this mass ratio range, and this is the third with a measured host mass. All three of these host stars have masses of 0.5 $\leq$ M_host/M_Sun $\leq$ 0.7, which implies that this predicted mass ratio gap is filled with planets that have host stars within a factor of two of 1M_Sun. This suggests that runaway gas accretion does not play a major role in determining giant planet masses for stars somewhat less massive than the Sun. Our analysis has been accomplished with a modified DAOPHOT code that has been designed to measure the brightness and positions of closely blended stars. This will aid in the development of the primary method that the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope mission will use to determine the masses of microlens planets and their hosts.

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arXiv2020

MOA-2007-BLG-400 A Super-Jupiter Mass Planet Orbiting a Galactic BulgeK-dwarf Revealed by Keck Adaptive Optics Imaging

We present Keck/NIRC2 adaptive optics imaging of planetary microlensing event MOA-2007-BLG-400 that resolves the lens star system from the source. We find that the MOA-2007-BLG-400L planetary system consists of a $1.71\pm 0.27 M_{\rm Jup}$ planet orbiting a $0.69\pm 0.04M_{\odot}$ K-dwarf host star at a distance of $6.89\pm 0.77\,$kpc from the Sun. So, this planetary system probably resides in the Galactic bulge. The planet-host star projected separation is only weakly constrained due to the close-wide light curve degeneracy; the 2$σ$ projected separation range is 0.6--$7.2\,$AU. This host mass is at the top end of the range of masses predicted by a standard Bayesian analysis that assumes that all stars have an equal chance of hosting a star of the observed mass ratio. This and the similar result for event MOA-2013-BLG-220 suggests that more massive stars may be more likely to host planets with a mass ratio in the $0.002 < q < 0.004$ range that orbit beyond the snow line. These results also indicate the importance of host star mass measurements for exoplanets found by microlensing. The microlensing survey imaging data from NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (formerly WFIRST) mission will be doing mass measurements like this for a huge number of planetary events. This host lens is the highest contrast lens-source detected in microlensing mass measurement analysis (the lens being 10$\times$ fainter than the source). We present an improved method of calculating photometry and astrometry uncertainties based on the Jackknife method, which produces more accurate errors that are $\sim$$2.5 \times$ larger than previous estimates.

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arXiv2020

Revisiting MOA 2013 BLG-220L: A Solar-type star with a Cold super-Jupiter Companion

We present the analysis of high-resolution images of MOA-2013-BLG-220, taken with the Keck adaptive optics system 6 years after the initial observation, identifying the lens as a solar-type star hosting a super-Jupiter mass planet. The masses of planets and host-stars discovered by microlensing are often not determined from light curve data, while the star-planet mass-ratio and projected separation in units of Einstein ring radius are well measured. High-resolution follow-up observations after the lensing event is complete can resolve the source and lens. This allows direct measurements of flux, and the amplitude and direction of proper motion, giving strong constraints on the system parameters. Due to the high relative proper motion, $μ_{\rm rel,Geo} = 12.62\pm0.11$ mas/yr, the source and lens were resolved in 2019, with a separation of $77.1\pm0.5$ mas. Thus, we constrain the lens flux to $K_{\rm Keck,lens}= 17.92\pm0.02$. By combining constraints from the model and Keck flux, we find the lens mass to be $M_L = 0.88\pm0.05\ M_\odot$ at $D_L = 6.72\pm0.59$ kpc. With a mass-ratio of $q=(3.00\pm0.03)\times10^{-3}$ the planet's mass is determined to be $M_P = 2.74\pm0.17\ M_{J}$ at a separation of $r_\perp = 3.03\pm0.27$ AU. The lens mass is much higher than the prediction made by the Bayesian analysis that assumes all stars have an equal probability to host a planet of the measured mass ratio, and suggests that planets with mass ratios of a few 10$^{-3}$ are more common orbiting massive stars. This demonstrates the importance of high-resolution follow-up observations for testing theories like these.

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arXiv2020

Confirmation of the Stellar Binary Microlensing Event, Macho 97-BLG-28

The high-magnification microlensing event MACHO-97-BLG-28 was previously determined to be a binary system composed either of two M dwarfs, or an M dwarf and a brown dwarf. We present a revised light-curve model using additional data from the Mt. Stromlo 74" telescope, model estimates of stellar limb darkening and fitting the blend separately for each telescope and passband. We find a lensing system with a larger mass ratio, $q = 0.28 \pm 0.01$, and smaller projected separation, $s = 0.61 \pm 0.01 $, than that presented in the original study. We revise the estimate of the lens-source relative proper motion to $μ_{rel}=2.8 \pm 0.5 \; \mathrm{mas\: yr^{-1}}$, which indicates that 16.07 years after the event maximum the lens and source should have separated by $46 \pm 8$ mas. We revise the source star radius using more recent reddening maps and angular diameter-color relations to $R_*=(10.3 \pm 1.9) R_\odot$. K and J-band adaptive optics images of the field taken at this epoch using the NIRC2 imager on the Keck telescope show that the source and lens are still blended, consistent with our light-curve model. With no statistically significant excess flux detection we constrain the mass, $M_L= 0.24^{+0.28}_{-0.12}M_\odot$, and distance, $D_L = 7.0 \pm 1.0$ kpc, of the lensing system. This supports the interpretation of this event being a stellar binary in the galactic bulge. This lens mass gives a companion mass of $M=0.07^{+0.08}_{-0.04}M_\odot$, close to the boundary between being a star and a brown dwarf.

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arXiv2020

Keck Observations Confirm a Super-Jupiter Planet Orbiting M-dwarf OGLE-2005-BLG-071L

We present adaptive optics imaging from the NIRC2 instrument on the Keck-2 telescope that resolves the exoplanet host (and lens) star as it separates from the brighter source star. These observations yield the $K$-band brightness of the lens and planetary host star, as well as the lens-source relative proper motion, $μ_{\rm rel,H}$. in the heliocentric reference frame. The $μ_{\rm rel,H}$ measurement allows determination of the microlensing parallax vector, $π_E$, which had only a single component determined by the microlensing light curve. The combined measurements of $μ_{\rm rel,H}$ and $K_L$ provide the masses of the host stat, $M_{\rm host} = 0.426\pm 0.037 M_\odot$, and planet, $m_p = 3.27 \pm 0.32 M_{\rm Jup}$ with a projected separation of $3.4\pm 0.5\,$AU. This confirms the tentative conclusion of a previous paper (Dong et al. 2009) that this super-Jupiter mass planet, OGLE-2005-BLG-071Lb, orbits an M-dwarf. Such planets are predicted to be rare by the core accretion theory and have been difficult to find with other methods, but there are two such planets with firm mass measurements from microlensing, and an additional 11 planetary microlens events with host mass estimates $< 0.5M_\odot$ and planet mass estimates $> 2$ Jupiter masses that could be confirmed by high angular follow-up observations. We also point out that OGLE-2005-BLG-071L has separated far enough from its host star that it should be possible to measure the host star metallicity withspectra from a high angular resolution telescope such as Keck, the VLT, the Hubble Space Telescope or the James Webb Space Telescope.

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arXiv2019

Star formation at the edge of the Local Group: a rising star formation history in the isolated galaxy WLM

We present the star formation history (SFH) of the isolated (D~970 kpc) Local Group dwarf galaxy WLM measured from color-magnitude diagrams constructed from deep Hubble Space Telescope imaging. Our observations include a central (0.5 $r_h$) and outer field (0.7 $ r_h$) that reach below the oldest main sequence turnoff. WLM has no early dominant episode of star formation: 20% of its stellar mass formed by ~12.5 Gyr ago (z~5). It also has an SFR that rises to the present with 50% of the stellar mass within the most recent 5 Gyr (z<0.7). There is evidence of a strong age gradient: the mean age of the outer field is 5 Gyr older than the inner field despite being only 0.4 kpc apart. Some models suggest such steep gradients are associated with strong stellar feedback and dark matter core creation. The SFHs of real isolated dwarf galaxies and those from the the Feedback In Realistic Environment suite are in good agreement for $M_{\star}(z=0) \sim 10^7-10^9 M_{\odot}$, but in worse agreement at lower masses ($M_{\star}(z=0) \sim 10^5-10^7 M_{\odot}$). These differences may be explainable by systematics in the models (e.g., reionization model) and/or observations (HST field placement). We suggest that a coordinated effort to get deep CMDs between HST/JWST (crowded central fields) and WFIRST (wide-area halo coverage) is the optimal path for measuring global SFHs of isolated dwarf galaxies.

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arXiv2018

Photometric metallicity map of the Small Magellanic Cloud

We have created an estimated metallicity map of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) using the Magellanic Cloud Photometric Survey (MCPS) and Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE III) photometric data. This is a first of its kind map of metallicity up to a radius of $\sim$ 2.5$^{\circ}$. We identify the RGB in the V, (V$-$I) colour magnitude diagrams of small subregions of varying sizes in both data sets. We use the slope of the RGB as an indicator of the average metallicity of a subregion, and calibrate the RGB slope to metallicity using available spectroscopic data for selected subregions. The average metallicity of the SMC is found to be [Fe/H] = $-$0.94 dex ($σ$[Fe/H] = 0.09) from OGLE III, and [Fe/H] = $-$0.95 dex ($σ$[Fe/H] = 0.08) from MCPS. We confirm a shallow but significant metallicity gradient within the inner SMC up to a radius of 2.5$^{\circ}$ ($-$0.045$\pm$0.004 dex deg$^{-1}$ to $-$0.067$\pm$0.006 dex deg$^{-1}$).

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arXiv2017

The ISLAnds Project III: Variable Stars in Six Andromeda Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies

We present a census of variable stars in six M31 dwarf spheroidal satellites observed with the Hubble Space Telescope. We detect 870 RR Lyrae (RRL) stars in the fields of And I (296), II (251), III (111), XV (117), XVI (8), XXVIII (87). We also detect a total of 15 Anomalous Cepheids, three Eclipsing Binaries, and seven field RRL stars compatible with being members of the M31 halo or the Giant Stellar Stream. We derive robust and homogeneous distances to the six galaxies using different methods based on the properties of the RRL stars. Working with the up-to-date set of Period-Wesenheit ($I$, $B$ - $I$) relations published by Marconi et al., we obtain distance moduli of $μ_0$ = [24.49, 24.16, 24.36, 24.42, 23.70, 24.43] mag (respectively), with systematic uncertainties of 0.08 mag and statistical uncertainties $<$ 0.11 mag. We have considered an enlarged sample of sixteen M31 satellites with published variability studies, and compared their pulsational observables (e.g., periods, amplitudes), with those of fifteen Milky Way satellites for which similar data are available. The properties of the (strictly old) RRL in both satellite systems do not show any significant difference. In particular, we found a strikingly similar correlation between the mean period distribution of the fundamental RRL pulsators (RRab) and the mean metallicities of the galaxies. This indicates that the old RRL progenitors were similar at the early stage in the two environments, suggesting very similar characteristics for the earliest stages of evolution of both satellite systems.

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arXiv2017

A unified model for age-velocity dispersion relations in Local Group galaxies: Disentangling ISM turbulence and latent dynamical heating

We analyze age-velocity dispersion relations (AVRs) from kinematics of individual stars in eight Local Group galaxies ranging in mass from Carina ($M_{*} \sim 10^{6}$) to M31 ($M_{*} \sim 10^{11}$). Observationally the $σ$ vs. stellar age trends can be interpreted as dynamical heating of the stars by GMCs, bars/spiral arms, or merging subhalos; alternatively the stars could have simply been born out of a more turbulent ISM at high redshift and retain that larger velocity dispersion till present day - consistent with recent IFU studies. To ascertain the dominant mechanism and better understand the impact of instabilities and feedback, we develop models based on observed SFHs of these Local Group galaxies in order to create an evolutionary formalism which describes the ISM velocity dispersion due to a galaxy's evolving gas fraction. These empirical models relax the common assumption that the stars are born from gas which has constant velocity dispersion at all redshifts. Using only the observed SFHs as input, the ISM velocity dispersion and a mid-plane scattering model fits the observed AVRs of low mass galaxies without fine tuning. Higher mass galaxies above $M_{vir} > 10^{11}$ need a larger contribution from latent dynamical heating processes (for example minor mergers), in excess of the ISM model. Using the SFHs we also find that supernovae feedback does not appear to be a dominant driver of the gas velocity dispersion compared to gravitational instabilities - at least for dispersions $σ\gtrsim 25$ km/s. Together our results point to stars being born with a velocity dispersion close to that of the gas at the time of their formation, with latent dynamical heating operating with a galaxy mass-dependent efficiency. These semi-empirical relations may help constrain the efficiency of feedback and its impact on the physics of disk settling in galaxy formation simulations.

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arXiv2017

Star cluster formation history along the minor axis of the Large Magellanic Cloud

We analysed Washington $CMT_1$ photometry of star clusters located along the minor axis of the LMC, from the LMC optical centre up to $\sim$ 39 degrees outwards to the North-West. The data base was exploited in order to search for new star cluster candidates, to produce cluster CMDs cleaned from field star contamination and to derive age estimates for a statistically complete cluster sample. We confirmed that 146 star cluster candidates are genuine physical systems, and concluded that an overall $\sim$ 30 per cent of catalogued clusters in the surveyed regions are unlikely to be true physical systems. We did not find any new cluster candidates in the outskirts of the LMC (deprojected distance $\ge$ 8 degrees). The derived ages of the studied clusters are in the range 7.2 < log($t$ yr$^{-1}$) $\le$ 9.4, with the sole exception of the globular cluster NGC\,1786 (log($t$ yr$^{-1}$) = 10.10). We also calculated the cluster frequency for each region, from which we confirmed previously proposed outside-in formation scenarios. In addition, we found that the outer LMC fields show a sudden episode of cluster formation (log($t$ yr$^{-1}$) $\sim$ 7.8-7.9) that continued until log($t$ yr$^{-1}$) $\sim$ 7.3 only in the outermost LMC region. We link these features to the first pericentre passage of the LMC to the MW, which could have triggered cluster formation due to ram pressure interaction between the LMC and MW halo.

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arXiv2017

From K giants to G dwarfs: stellar lifetime effects on metallicity distributions derived from red giants

We examine the biases inherent to chemical abundance distributions when targets are selected from the red giant branch (RGB), using simulated giant branches created from isochrones. We find that even when stars are chosen from the entire colour range of RGB stars and over a broad range of magnitudes, the relative numbers of stars of different ages and metallicities, integrated over all stellar types, are not accurately represented in the giant branch sample. The result is that metallicity distribution functions derived from RGB star samples require a correction before they can be fit by chemical evolution models. We derive simple correction factors for over- and under-represented populations for the limiting cases of single-age populations with a broad range of metallicities and of continuous star formation at constant metallicity; an important general conclusion is that intermediate-age populations (~1-4Gyr) are over-represented in RGB samples. We apply our models to the case of the Large Magellanic Cloud bar and show that the observed metallicity distribution underestimates the true number of metal-poor stars by more than 25%; as a result, the inferred importance of gas flows in chemical evolution models could potentially be overestimated. The age- and metallicity-dependences of RGB lifetimes require careful modelling if they are not to lead to spurious conclusions about the chemical enrichment history of galaxies.

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arXiv2017

DDO216-A1: a central globular cluster in a low-luminosity transition type galaxy

We confirm that the object DDO216-A1 is a substantial globular cluster at the center of Local Group galaxy DDO216 (the Pegasus dwarf irregular), using Hubble Space Telescope ACS imaging. By fitting isochrones, we find the cluster metallicity to be [M/H] = -1.6 +/-0.2, for reddening E(B-V) = 0.16 +/-0.02; the best-fit age is 12.3 +/-0.8 Gyr. There are ~30 RR Lyrae variables in the cluster; the magnitude of the fundamental mode pulsators gives a distance modulus of 24.77 +/-0.08 - identical to the host galaxy. The ratio of overtone to fundamental mode variables and their mean periods make DDO216-A1 an Oosterhoff Type I cluster. We find an I-band central surface brightness 20.85 +/-0.17 F814W mag per square arcsecond, a half-light radius of 3.1 arcsec (13.4 pc), and an absolute magnitude M814 = -7.90 +/-0.16 (approximately 10^5 solar masses). King models fit to the cluster give the core radius and concentration index, r_c = 2.1" +/-0.9" and c = 1.24 +/-0.39. The cluster is an "extended" cluster somewhat typical of some dwarf galaxies and the outer halo of the Milky Way. The cluster is projected <30 pc south of the center of DDO216, unusually central compared to most dwarf galaxy globular clusters. Analytical models of dynamical friction and tidal destruction suggest that it probably formed at a larger distance, up to ~1 kpc, and migrated inward. DDO216 has an unexceptional cluster specific frequency, S_N = 10. DDO216 is the lowest-luminosity Local Group galaxy to host a 10^5 solar mass globular cluster, and the only transition-type (dSph/dIrr) in the Local Group with a globular.

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arXiv2016

Prolate rotation and metallicity gradient in the transforming dwarf galaxy Phoenix

Transition type dwarf galaxies are thought to be systems undergoing the process of transformation from a star-forming into a passively evolving dwarf, which makes them particularly suitable to study evolutionary processes driving the existence of different dwarf morphological types. Here we present results from a spectroscopic survey of ~200 individual red giant branch stars in the Phoenix dwarf, the closest transition type with a comparable luminosity to "classical" dwarf galaxies. We measure a systemic heliocentric velocity V = -21.2 km/s. Our survey reveals the clear presence of prolate rotation, which is aligned with the peculiar spatial distribution of the youngest stars in Phoenix. We speculate that both features might have arisen from the same event, possibly an accretion of a smaller system. The evolved stellar population of Phoenix is relatively metal-poor (<[Fe/H]> = -1.49+/-0.04 dex) and shows a large metallicity spread ($σ_{\rm [Fe/H]} = 0.51\pm0.04$\,dex), with a pronounced metallicity gradient of -0.13+/-0.01 dex per arcmin similar to luminous, passive dwarf galaxies. We also report a discovery of an extremely metal-poor star candidate in Phoenix and discuss the importance of correcting for spatial sampling when interpreting the chemical properties of galaxies with metallicity gradients. This study presents a major leap forward in our knowledge of the internal kinematics of the Phoenix transition type dwarf galaxy, and the first wide area spectroscopic survey of its metallicity properties.

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arXiv2016

Chemistry and Kinematics of the Late-Forming Dwarf Irregular Galaxies Leo A, Aquarius, and Sagittarius DIG

We present Keck/DEIMOS spectroscopy of individual stars in the relatively isolated Local Group dwarf galaxies Leo A, Aquarius, and the Sagittarius dwarf irregular galaxy. The three galaxies--but especially Leo A and Aquarius--share in common delayed star formation histories relative to many other isolated dwarf galaxies. The stars in all three galaxies are supported by dispersion. We found no evidence of stellar velocity structure, even for Aquarius, which has rotating HI gas. The velocity dispersions indicate that all three galaxies are dark matter-dominated, with dark-to-baryonic mass ratios ranging from $4.4^{+1.1}_{-0.8}$ (SagDIG) to $9.6^{+2.5}_{-1.8}$ (Aquarius). Leo A and SagDIG have lower stellar metallicities than Aquarius, and they also have higher gas fractions, both of which would be expected if Aquarius were farther along in its chemical evolution. The metallicity distribution of Leo A is inconsistent with a Closed or Leaky Box model of chemical evolution, suggesting that the galaxy was pre-enriched or acquired external gas during star formation. The metallicities of stars increased steadily for all three galaxies, but possibly at different rates. The [$α$/Fe] ratios at a given [Fe/H] are lower than that of the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy, which indicates more extended star formation histories than Sculptor, consistent with photometrically derived star formation histories. Overall, the bulk kinematic and chemical properties for the late-forming dwarf galaxies do not diverge significantly from those of less delayed dwarf galaxies, including dwarf spheroidal galaxies.

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arXiv2016

The ISLAndS project II: The Lifetime Star Formation Histories of Six Andromeda dSphs

The Initial Star formation and Lifetimes of Andromeda Satellites (ISLAndS) project uses Hubble Space Telescope imaging to study a representative sample of six Andromeda dSph satellite companion galaxies. The main goal of the program is to determine whether the star formation histories (SFHs) of the Andromeda dSph satellites demonstrate significant statistical differences from those of the Milky Way, which may be attributable to the different properties of their local environments. Our observations reach the oldest main sequence turn-offs, allowing a time resolution at the oldest ages of ~ 1 Gyr, which is comparable to the best achievable resolution in the MW satellites. We find that the six dSphs present a variety of SFHs that are not strictly correlated with luminosity or present distance from M31. Specifically, we find a significant range in quenching times (lookback times from 9 to 6 Gyr), but with all quenching times more than ~ 6 Gyr ago. In agreement with observations of Milky Way companions of similar mass, there is no evidence of complete quenching of star formation by the cosmic UV background responsible for reionization, but the possibility of a degree of quenching at reionization cannot be ruled out. We do not find significant differences between the SFHs of the three members of the vast, thin plane of satellites and the three off-plane dSphs. The primary difference between the SFHs of the ISLAndS dSphs and Milky Way dSph companions of similar luminosities and host distances is the absence of very late quenching (< 5 Gyr ago) dSphs in the ISLAndS sample. Thus, models that can reproduce satellite populations with and without late quenching satellites will be of extreme interest.

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arXiv2016

The ISLANDS project I: Andromeda XVI, An Extremely Low Mass Galaxy not Quenched by Reionization

Based on data aquired in 13 orbits of HST time, we present a detailed evolutionary history of the M31 dSph satellite Andromeda XVI, including its life-time star formation history, the spatial distribution of its stellar populations, and the properties of its variable stars. And XVI is characterized by prolonged star formation activity from the oldest epochs until star formation was quenched ~6 Gyr ago, and, notably, only half of the mass in stars of And XVI was in place 10 Gyr ago. And XVI appears to be a low mass galaxy for which the early quenching by either reionization or starburst feedback seems highly unlikely, and thus, is most likely due to an environmental effect (e.g., an interaction), possibly connected to a late infall in the densest regions of the Local Group. Studying the star formation history as a function of galactocentric radius, we detect a mild gradient in the star formation history: the star formation activity between 6 and 8 Gyr ago is significantly stronger in the central regions than in the external regions, although the quenching age appears to be the same, within 1 Gyr. We also report the discovery of 9 RR Lyrae stars, 8 of which belong to And XVI. The RR Lyrae stars allow a new estimate of the distance, (m-M)0= 23.72+/-0.09 mag, which is marginally larger than previous estimates based on the tip of the red giant branch.

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arXiv2016

Ca II triplet spectroscopy of RGB stars in NGC 6822: kinematics and metallicities

We present a detailed analysis of the chemistry and kinematics of red giants in the dwarf irregular galaxy NGC 6822. Spectroscopy at 8500 Angstroms was acquired for 72 red giant stars across two fields using FORS2 at the VLT. Line of sight extinction was individually estimated for each target star to accommodate the variable reddening across NGC 6822. The mean radial velocity was found to be v_helio = (52.8 +/- 2.2) km/s with dispersion rms = 24.1 km/s, in agreement with other studies. Ca II triplet equivalent widths were converted into [Fe/H] metallicities using a V magnitude proxy for surface gravity. The average metallicity was [Fe/H] = (-0.84 +/- 0.04) with dispersion rms = 0.31 dex and interquartile range 0.48. Our assignment of individual reddening values makes our analysis more sensitive to spatial variations in metallicity than previous studies. We divide our sample into metal-rich and metal-poor stars; the former are found to cluster towards small radii with the metal-poor stars more evenly distributed across the galaxy. The velocity dispersion of the metal-poor stars is higher than that of the metal-rich stars; combined with the age-metallicity relation this indicates that older populations have either been dynamically heated or were born in a less disclike distribution. The low ratio (v_rot/v_rms) suggests that within the inner 10', NGC 6822's stars are dynamically decoupled from the HI gas, possibly in a thick disc or spheroid.

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arXiv2015

Photometric metallicity map of the Large Magellanic Cloud

We have estimated a metallicity map of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) using the Magellanic Cloud Photometric Survey (MCPS) and Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE III) photometric data. This is a first of its kind map of metallicity up to a radius of 4 - 5 degrees, derived using photometric data and calibrated using spectroscopic data of Red Giant Branch (RGB) stars. We identify the RGB in the V, (V$-$I) colour magnitude diagrams of small subregions of varying sizes in both data sets. We use the slope of the RGB as an indicator of the average metallicity of a subregion, and calibrate the RGB slope to metallicity using spectroscopic data for field and cluster red giants in selected subregions. The average metallicity of the LMC is found to be [Fe/H] = $-$0.37 dex ($σ$[Fe/H] = 0.12) from MCPS data, and [Fe/H] = $-$0.39 dex ($σ$[Fe/H] = 0.10) from OGLE III data. The bar is found be the most metal-rich region of the LMC. Both the data sets suggest a shallow radial metallicity gradient up to a radius of 4 kpc ($-$0.049$\pm$0.002 dex kpc$^{-1}$ to $-$0.066$\pm$0.006 dex kpc$^{-1}$). Subregions in which the mean metallicity differs from the surrounding areas do not appear to correlate with previously known features; spectroscopic studies are required in order to assess their physical significance.

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