arXiv subjects

Denis Erkal

Publications and source records attributed to Denis Erkal.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Stellar streams around dwarf galaxies are observationally rare in the local Universe

The frequency and properties of stellar streams around dwarf galaxies remain observationally under-explored. Building a statistically significant sample is challenging because dwarf galaxies are smaller, fainter, and far more numerous than massive galaxies. We present the first results from a systematic survey for stellar streams around dwarf galaxies. We first introduce a classification metric for satellite accretion features (streams, shells, and asymmetric stellar haloes) using DECam imaging from the DES and DECaLS surveys. Applying this metric to the DES footprint, we find a low observed frequency of accretion features (5.1$\%$) and no bona fide stellar streams (with only one identified in DECaLS). We consider whether the apparent excess of shells relative to streams can be explained by observational biases. Our results indicate that stellar streams are observationally rare in the local Universe, motivating further theoretical work to determine whether this reflects genuine differences in merger rates across galaxy mass regimes.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Bo\"otes III is a Tidally Disrupting Ultra-Faint Dwarf Galaxy on an Eccentric Polar Orbit

We present updated systemic properties of the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Bo\"otes III from the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey (S$^5$). We identify 21 high-probability members and measure a velocity dispersion of $\sigma_{v} = 1.69^{+1.03}_{-0.85}$ km s$^{-1}$, about six times smaller than the previously reported $10.7 \pm 3.5$ km s$^{-1}$, and a mean metallicity of [Fe/H] $= -2.34 \pm 0.11$. The revised dispersion brings Bo\"otes III in line with other tidally disrupting dwarfs such as Antlia II and Crater II. Orbit integrations in a Milky Way (MW) + Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) potential confirm a highly eccentric ($e \approx 0.8$), polar ($i \approx 89.5^\circ$) orbit with a recent pericentric passage $\sim 0.14$ Gyr ago at $r_{\rm peri} \approx 9.5$ kpc. Bo\"otes III is thus likely actively tidally disrupting, as its tidal radius at pericenter, $r_t \approx 164$ pc, is only $\sim 0.35$ of its half-light radius. The unusually low dispersion also implies that Bo\"otes III has either lost most of its dark matter to tides or hosts a cored inner density profile, making it a probe of the nature of dark matter. Simulated tidal streams are broadly consistent with the Styx stellar stream, though the predicted track and kinematics are sensitive to the MW halo mass, LMC mass, and solar velocity. Bo\"otes III overlaps the Typhon stream in integrals-of-motion space but has a much lower mean metallicity, suggesting the two are not the same system but may have had a common group infall origin. Sagittarius-stream contamination prevents a direct tidal-tail detection, so deep spectroscopic follow-up remains essential, both to confirm Styx as a genuine stream and to establish it as Bo\"otes III's tidal tail.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Constraints on the population level distribution of nearby Dark Matter halo shapes with extragalactic streams

Stellar streams trace the gravitational potential of their host galaxies and provide a sensitive probe of dark matter halo structure. Previously, we developed, and tested on simulated data, a hierarchical Bayesian framework to infer the population level distribution of dark matter halo shapes from ensembles of extragalactic stellar streams with images only. In this work, we apply this pipeline to 32 stellar streams from the STRRINGS catalogue, a curated sample of dynamically cold minor-merger streams detected in deep imaging. Each stream is forward-modelled assuming an axisymmetric halo and fitted using only the projected stream track, yielding posterior constraints on the halo flattening parameter $q$. To account for model mismatch and track systematics, we introduce an additional variance term that inflates the uncertainty on the projected stream track and use it to identify a high quality (gold) subsample of 17 streams whose tracks retain significant constraining power. We then combine the individual posteriors through importance sampling to infer the underlying population distribution of halo flattening. For the \textit{gold} subsample, we infer an oblate population with mean $\mu_q \approx 0.72$ and intrinsic scatter $\sigma_q \approx 0.34$. Streams dominated by additional model variance yield a nearly spherical population inference. The inferred oblate population for the gold sample is broadly consistent with expectations from cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. This work provides constraints on dark matter halo flattening from stellar streams beyond the Local Group and establishes a scalable framework for forthcoming large samples from Euclid and Rubin/LSST.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

No Stream Left Unscathed: The imprint of a host galaxy

Stellar streams from disrupted globular clusters are excellent probes of dark matter (DM) subhalos. Observed Milky Way streams display a remarkable diversity of features: spurs, gaps, kinks, cocoons, and density variations, many attributed to subhalo encounters. But how much of this diversity arises from the host itself? We simulate $\sim$15,000 globular cluster streams across four Milky Way-mass halos from the FIRE-2 cosmological simulations, evolved in basis function expansion potentials capturing the evolving disk, halo, and large-scale structure while excluding small-scale perturbers such as DM subhalos and giant molecular clouds. We find that roughly three quarters of streams develop complex features from the host potential, such as spurs, kinks, and cocoon-like envelopes. Even the smoothest streams exhibit 10--25\% width variation along their track and host overdensities and gaps at scales of ${\sim}2^\circ$, squarely in the $1^\circ$--$5^\circ$ range predicted for subhalo-induced gaps. Pericentric distance is the primary predictor of stream morphology, with ${\sim}15$ kpc separating smooth from disturbed streams and circular orbits beyond $\sim$20 kpc producing the smoothest streams. Only $\sim$70 out of $\sim$15,000 streams are free of detectable wiggles in the track at any scale. Analogs to observed features, such as the GD-1 spur and the ATLAS--Aliqa Uma kink, emerge even without the presence of subhalos. As next-generation surveys (LSST, Euclid, and Roman) resolve stream structure across hundreds of streams, the baseline established here, streams evolved without small-scale perturbers, becomes essential for extracting DM substructure constraints.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Epicyclic Density Variations in the Indus Stellar Stream

Longitudinal density fluctuations observed in stellar streams can result from gravitational interactions with massive perturbers in the Milky Way, such as dark matter subhalos. Analysing these density variations provides a powerful probe of properties (motion, mass, size, etc.) of the perturbing objects. However, caution is needed because density variations may arise naturally from internal dynamics of streams, namely epicycles. In this work, we focus on the Indus stellar stream, a remnant of an ancient dwarf satellite of the Galaxy. An Indus stream spanning $\sim 90^\circ$ is revealed in the southern Galactic sky using a comprehensive matched-filter analysis utilizing data from the Gaia mission. A spatial density model is fitted to the filtered map to quantitatively characterize the morphology, which demonstrates episodic density peaks and gaps in the stream. Through N-body simulations, we show that there are strong epicyclic motions of stars happening during tidal disruptions. The present-day longitudinal densities from simulations are comparable to the measurement from data, with similar numbers and locations of peaks and gaps, suggesting that the observed density should mainly be caused by epicycles. We also find that a cuspy dark matter halo for the Indus dwarf is likely to produce milder stellar epicyclic peaks compared to a cored halo which results in steeper peaks. This arises from different instantaneous mass loss due to distinct central mass distributions of halos, where a cored halo usually leads to severer tidal stripping. The observed density exhibits moderate peak sharpness, implying that Indus may have originally possessed a cuspy halo.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

A Path to an All-Sky Survey with Roman

A deep, space-based, all-sky near-infrared survey carried out with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope would constitute a foundational astronomical infrastructure for decades to come. In this white paper, we present a concrete and feasible path to imaging the entire sky at $\sim0.1''$ resolution, beginning with high-impact fields in Cycle 1 and scaling to ultra-wide coverage within the nominal mission. This first-epoch survey will reach $\mathrm{H}\sim25.5$ AB mag (5$\sigma$) and maximize synergies with contemporaneous observatories, while preserving substantial time for other ambitious Roman programs. We outline representative scheduling scenarios and an example Cycle 1 program that triples early Roman-LSST overlap and delivers high-value community data products such as LSST forced photometry, joint \textit{Gaia}-Roman astrometry, and catalogs of Galactic substructure, stong lenses, and other rare systems. The Cycle 1 program will lay the foundation for an eventual all-sky survey, while also delivering high-impact early science. We invite broad community participation in shaping and carrying out both the initial program and the long-term vision of an all-sky Roman survey.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2026

The DECam MAGIC Survey: Uncovering the Tidal Tails of the Crater II Dwarf Galaxy

Crater II (CraII), a large and low-density dwarf spheroidal galaxy, has unusual observed properties that are difficult to reproduce in cold dark matter simulations. Ongoing tidal disruption may help explain the discrepancies, as evidenced by the recent discovery of tidal tails. Here we present metallicity-sensitive narrowband photometry of the Ca II H and K lines from the Dark Energy Camera, covering $128$ deg$^2$ across the center and identified tidal tails of CraII as part of the Mapping the Ancient Galaxy in CaHK (MAGIC) survey. Our combined photometric metallicity, color-magnitude, proper motion, and parallax selections identify 162 CraII candidates. Of these, 37 candidates are located in the tidal tails which extend at least $7^\circ$ ($\sim 95$ kpc) from the center of CraII, suggesting it has lost $\gtrsim 25$% of its initial stellar mass. We confirm low contamination rates with dedicated control fields and highlight the extremely low surface brightness stellar features that can be uncovered with CaHK data, as faint as $\sim 36$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$. We also make the first detection of a metallicity gradient ($-0.34\pm0.17~{\rm dex}~{\rm deg}^{-1}$) in the center of the galaxy and infer a stream width of $w\sim 0.8^\circ$, roughly 50% larger than the CraII half-light radius. The detection of candidates in the most distant CraII pointings from its center implies that the tidal tails extend beyond our footprint. We compare the CraII stream to $N$-body models with "cored" and "cuspy" dark matter halo progenitors, determining that CraII's density profile is still ambiguous and warrants further modeling.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Constraining the population of dark matter halo shapes using hierarchical inference with extragalactic stellar streams

Stellar streams, the debris of tidally disrupted satellites, trace their host's gravitational potential and thus probe dark matter halo structure. While six-dimensional phase-space data of Galactic streams enable precise dark matter halo modelling in the Milky Way, streams around external galaxies are typically available only as low surface brightness features without kinematics (i.e. two-dimensional photometric data), providing only weak constraints when considered individually. We present a hierarchical Bayesian framework that infers the population distribution of halo flattening using only projected stream tracks. Streams are forward-modelled in StreaMAX, a new JAX-accelerated particle-spray package that achieves orders of magnitude faster stream generation when compared to traditional methods. For each stream we fit an axisymmetric dark matter halo model and obtain a posterior on the flattening. These posteriors are then combined through hierarchical reweighting to constrain the population distribution. Using mock data, we show that individual fits recover the correct flattening with modest precision and exhibit projection-induced multi-modalities. Nevertheless, aggregating these fits yields accurate and confident constraints on the underlying population distribution of dark matter halo morphologies, clearly distinguishing between oblate, spherical, and prolate populations. The total computational cost scales linearly with sample size. Our results demonstrate that ensembles of purely photometric streams carry sufficient information to constrain dark matter halo shapes in external galaxies at the population level. With the forthcoming samples from Euclid and Rubin/LSST, this approach offers a practical path to population-level inferences of halo morphology without any kinematic measurements.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Detailed Chemical Abundance Analysis of the Brightest Stars in the Turranburra and Willka Yaku Stellar Streams

We present a detailed chemical abundance analysis of the three brightest known stars from each of the Turranburra and Willka Yaku stellar streams using high-resolution Magellan/MIKE spectra. Abundances for 27 elements, ranging from carbon to dysprosium, were derived. Our results support the original classification that Turranburra, with a low average metallicity of $\mathrm{[Fe/H]=-2.45} \pm 0.07$, likely originates from a dwarf-galaxy progenitor. Willka Yaku has a low average metallicity of $\mathrm{[Fe/H]=-2.35 \pm 0.03}$ with a small scatter in the abundances, consistent with a globular cluster progenitor as suggested by previous studies. Both streams exhibit mild enhancements in neutron-capture elements, with averages of $\mathrm{[Eu II/Fe]}=$ $0.47 \pm{0.09}$ for Turranburra and $0.44 \pm{0.05}$ for Willka Yaku, consistent with enrichment from an $r$-process event. A similar enrichment is observed in other stellar streams, and we further discuss this signature as it relates to the potential enrichment histories of these two streams.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Forecasting Dark Matter Subhalo Constraints from Stellar Streams using Implicit Likelihood Inference

The evidence for dark matter (DM) remains compelling, although attempts to understand its particle nature remain inconclusive. One promising method to study DM is detecting DM subhalos through their gravitational interactions with stellar streams. In this study, we apply Neural Posterior Estimation (NPE) to constrain subhalo interaction parameters, including mass, scale radius, velocity, and encounter geometry, from stellar stream kinematics. We generate particle spray simulations based on the Lagrange Cloud stripping technique, focusing on the ATLAS-Aliqa Uma stream as a test case. We train multiple NPE models across multiple observational scenarios, quantifying how kinematic completeness affects inference and forecasting constraints from upcoming surveys including LSST, 4MOST, and 10-year Gaia data. Our results demonstrate that NPE can produce accurate and well-calibrated posteriors. In the idealized case with full 6D coordinates, we achieve subhalo mass uncertainties of 15-20% for a $10^7 \, \mathrm{M_\odot}$ subhalo, with 5D coordinates (excluding radial velocities) achieving similar performance. Under realistic observational conditions, mass uncertainties range from 50% (present-day) to 20-40% (future scenarios), with comparable performance between the photometric-only LSST sample and a smaller sample that includes Gaia proper motions and 4MOST radial velocities. Most notably, we find that velocity bimodality emerges when phase space is poorly sampled, whether due to missing kinematic information or limited stellar tracers. Combining large photometric samples with targeted spectroscopic follow-up can effectively resolves this degeneracy. These results demonstrate the power of implicit likelihood inference for optimizing stellar stream observational strategies and forecasting DM subhalo constraints from upcoming surveys.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

$S^5$: Tidal Disruption in Crater 2 and Formation of Diffuse Dwarf Galaxies in the Local Group

We present results of a spectroscopic campaign around the diffuse dwarf galaxy Crater 2 (Cra2) and its tidal tails as part of the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey ($S^5$). Cra2 is a Milky Way dwarf spheroidal satellite with extremely cold kinematics, but a huge size similar to the Small Magellanic Cloud, which may be difficult to explain within collisionless cold dark matter. We identify 143 Cra2 members, of which 114 belong to the galaxy's main body and 29 are deemed part of its stellar stream. We confirm that Cra2 is dynamically cold (central velocity dispersion $2.51^{+0.33}_{-0.30}\,{\rm km \ s^{-1}}$) and also discover a $\approx$7$\sigma$ velocity gradient consistent with its tidal debris track. We separately estimate the stream's internal velocity dispersion to be $5.74^{+0.98}_{-0.83}\,{\rm km \ s^{-1}}$. We develop a suite of $N$-body simulations with both cuspy and cored density profiles on a realistic Cra2 orbit to compare with $S^5$ observations. We find that the velocity dispersion ratio between Cra2 stream and galaxy ($2.30^{+0.41}_{-0.35}$) is difficult to reconcile with a cuspy halo with fiducial concentration and an initial mass predicted by standard stellar mass--halo mass relationships. Instead, either a cored halo with relatively small core radius or a low-concentration cuspy model can reproduce this ratio. Despite tidal mass loss, Cra2 is metal-poor ($\langle \rm[Fe/H]\rangle=-2.16\pm0.04$) compared to the stellar mass--metallicity relation for its luminosity. Other diffuse dwarf galaxies similar to Cra2 in the Local Group (Antlia 2 and Andromeda 19) also challenge galaxy formation models. Finally, we discuss possible formation scenarios for Cra2, including ram-pressure stripping of a gas-rich progenitor combined with tides.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Stellar streams around dwarf galaxies in the Local Universe

While mergers between massive galaxies and their dwarf satellites are well studied, the properties of dwarf - dwarf satellite mergers are not well constrained. Stellar streams trace satellite disruption and, in the dwarf galaxy regime, are predicted to provide novel constraints on low-mass galaxy evolution and dark matter. However, the mass ratios required to form these streams make them challenging to detect. We present a preview of the Stellar Stream Legacy Survey (SSLS) in the dwarf galaxy regime. The SSLS aims to produce a statistically large, homogeneous sample of stellar streams for comparison with galaxy evolution theory. We visually inspect dwarf galaxies using the DESI Legacy Imaging Survey (DES and DECaLS footprints, r-band 29 mag arcsec^-2 within 4 - 35 Mpc. We develop a classification metric to categorise accretion debris around dwarf galaxies, and measure the frequency of accretion features in the DES footprint only. We present the first release of accretion features around dwarf galaxies collected from the DES and DECaLS footprints, including 1 stream, 11 shells, and 8 asymmetric stellar halos, of which 17 constitute new identifications. In the DES footprint, we inspect 730 dwarfs and find that 5.1% (37/730) show accretion features. Although this frequency measurement is lower than the SSLS result for massive galaxies, we discuss the observational biases behind detecting streams in the dwarf galaxy regime. Our results highlight the difficulty of detecting streams around dwarfs, and identify the need for improved theoretical modelling of low-mass merger morphologies. Nevertheless, they place constraints on hierarchical mass assembly in this regime.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

A Pearl in the Shell: an ultra-compact dwarf within the tidal debris surrounding spiral galaxy NGC 7531

Stellar substructures within tidal debris preserve information about their progenitor galaxies' properties, offering insights into hierarchical mass assembly. We examine a compact stellar system (CSS) around the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 7531, including the shell-like tidal debris. Our goals are to determine the nature of the CSS, reconstruct the accretion history, and understand how the large, diffuse shell-like structure formed. We present photometric measurements of the shell-like debris and CSS using DESI Legacy Imaging Survey (LS) data. We obtained Keck/LRIS spectroscopic data for the CSS to confirm its association with NGC 7531 and to derive its star formation history (SFH). Deep ($\sim$27.9 mag/arcsec$^{2}$) amateur telescope images enabled complete characterization of the tidal debris structure. We confirm the CSS is associated with NGC 7531. We rename it NGC 7531-UCD1, since its stellar mass ($3.7_{-0.7}^{+1.0}\times 10^6$ $\mathrm{M}_\odot$), half-light radius ($R_{h} = 0.13 \pm 0.05$ arcsec) and SFH place it as an ultra-compact dwarf galaxy (UCD). NGC 7531-UCD1 was likely a nuclear star cluster (NSC) that was tidally stripped into a UCD- this is further supported by the presence of tidal tails. We quantify the shell-like debris' mass as $M_\star\sim 3$--$11\times 10^8 M_\odot$, implying a merger mass ratio of ~300:1 to 10:1. Our amateur telescope images confirm new pieces of debris, previously unclear in the DESI LS images. N-body simulations reproduce the tidal features, requiring a near radial orbit of the progenitor with two pericentric passages. The first passage coincides with the measured star formation enhancement ~1 Gyr ago. Our findings agree with predictions about the NSC to UCD formation pathway via tidal stripping, and further confirm the presence of these objects outside of our Milky Way.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Carbon-Enhanced Dwarf Stars Are Predominantly a Halo Population

This paper reports a Galactic kinematical and dynamical analysis of 1003 main-sequence carbon stars. The sample is drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and cross-matched with Gaia DR3 to obtain 6-dimensional positions and velocities using a Bayesian framework. The study provides the first reliable distances for a large sample of dwarf carbon stars, which are then analyzed using both space motions and actions. The results are combined with dynamical equilibrium models for the three primary Galactic components to assign membership, finding that around 60 per cent belong to the halo, and over 30 per cent originate in the thick disc. Therefore, the results indicate dwarf carbon stars are dominated by a metal-poor halo population, and are thus an excellent resource for stellar archaeology. These stars remain on the main sequence and are relatively nearby, but atmospheric modelling is challenged by their cool effective temperatures and strong molecular features. In light of this, efforts should be made to improve C/O >1 atmospheric modelling, as the subset of low-mass dwarf carbon stars may numerically dominate the Galactic population of carbon-enriched, metal-poor stars.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Chemodynamics of Bo\"otesI with $S^{5}$: Revised Velocity Gradient, Dark Matter Density, and Galactic Chemical Evolution Constraints

We combine new spectroscopic observations of the ultra faint dwarf galaxy (UFD) Bo\"otes I (Boo I) from the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey ($S^{5}$) with $\sim$15 years of archival spectroscopic data to create the largest sample of stellar kinematics and metallicities to date in any Milky Way UFD. Our combined sample includes 148 members extending out to $\sim$7 half-light radii ($r_h$), including 24 newly confirmed members, 18 binary candidates, 15 RR Lyrae stars, and 92 [Fe/H] measurements. Using this larger and more spatially extended sample, we provide updated constraints on Boo I's systemic properties, including its radial population gradients. Properly accounting for perspective rotation effects in a UFD for the first time, we detect a $4\sigma$ line-of-sight velocity gradient of $1.2\pm0.3$ km s$^{-1}$ $r_h^{-1}$ aligned along Boo I's orbit and discuss its potential tidal origins. We also infer a metallicity gradient of $-0.10\pm0.02$ dex $r_h^{-1}$ in agreement with previous studies. Using an axisymmetric Jeans model, we provide updated constraints on Boo I's dark matter density profile, which weakly favor a cusped ($\gamma=1.0^{+0.5}_{-0.6}$) dark matter profile. Lastly, we re-analyze Boo I's metallicity distribution function with a one-zone galactic chemical evolution model and place new constraints on its rapid, inefficient star formation and strong galactic outflows.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Sifting for a Stream: The Morphology of the $300S$ Stellar Stream

Stellar streams are sensitive laboratories for understanding the small-scale structure in our Galaxy's gravitational field. Here, we analyze the morphology of the $300S$ stellar stream, which has an eccentric, retrograde orbit and thus could be an especially powerful probe of both baryonic and dark substructures within the Milky Way. Due to extensive background contamination from the Sagittarius stream (Sgr), we perform an analysis combining Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey photometry, $\textit{Gaia}$ DR3 proper motions, and spectroscopy from the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey ($\textit{S}^5$). We redetermine the stream coordinate system and distance gradient, then apply two approaches to describe $300S$'s morphology. In the first, we analyze stars from $\textit{Gaia}$ using proper motions to remove Sgr. In the second, we generate a simultaneous model of $300S$ and Sgr based purely on photometric information. Both approaches agree within their respective domains and describe the stream over a region spanning $33^\circ$. Overall, $300S$ has three well-defined density peaks and smooth variations in stream width. Furthermore, $300S$ has a possible gap of $\sim 4.7^\circ$ and a kink. Dynamical modeling of the kink implies that $300S$ was dramatically influenced by the Large Magellanic Cloud. This is the first model of $300S$'s morphology across its entire known footprint, opening the door for deeper analysis to constrain the structures of the Milky Way.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Darkness in the Crust: Searching for the truly "Dark" Subhalos with Paleo-detectors

Low-mass dark matter (DM) subhalos are pivotal in understanding the small-scale structure of the universe, thereby offering a sensitive method to discriminate between different cosmological models. In this study, we estimate the local number density of cold DM subhalos in the solar neighborhood, and demonstrate that their sparse distribution makes their detection via direct detection experiments highly improbable. However, it is plausible to expect that an $\mathcal{O}(1)$ number of subhalos could be detected by Paleo-detectors, a proposed new technique to look for DM by reading out damage tracks left by past DM interactions in minerals, due to their extended exposure times. Hence, we explore how Paleo-detectors can serve as effective probes for the properties of low-mass subhalos, $\mathcal{O}(10^{-5}-10^8) M_{\odot}$. We find that Paleo-detectors might be able to constrain certain regions of the subhalo mass-concentration relation (for subhalo masses of $10-10^4 M_\odot$ if DM has a mass of $\sim5$GeV). This is a new and complementary type of study that seeks to combine information from the particle nature of DM to that of small scale structures.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Flipping of the tidal tails of the Ophiuchus stream due to the decelerating Galactic bar

The Ophiuchus stellar stream presents a puzzle due to its complicated morphology, with a substructure perpendicular to the main track (spur), a broadened tail (fanning), and a shorter than expected angular extent given its old stellar population and short orbital period. The location of the stream approaches the Galactic center, implying a possible connection between its orbit and its unusual morphology. Here we demonstrate that the morphology of Ophiuchus can be attributed to its interaction with the decelerating Galactic bar, which leads to the flipping or transposition of its tidal tails. The short length of the stream is the result of stars stripped in the ancient past still remaining concentrated, and the spur, as well as the fanning, are composed of either leading or trailing tails built up of stars released at different time intervals. Our new spectroscopic data, obtained as part of the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey $(S^5)$, and modeling of Ophiuchus indicate that, in the presence of the bar, an initial leading tail can be redistributed to the trailing side and vice versa, and the morphology of a stream can be reshaped. This result confirms that the Galactic bar plays a vital role in reconstructing the orbital behavior of streams passing close to the central region of the Milky Way.

astro-ph.GA↗