arXiv subjects

Timothy C. Beers

Publications and source records attributed to Timothy C. Beers.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Hypervelocity Star Candidates in the SEGUE G & K Dwarf Sample

We present 20 candidate hypervelocity stars from the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE) G and K dwarf samples. Previous searches for hypervelocity stars have only focused on large radial velocities; in this study we also use proper motions to select the candidates. We determine the hypervelocity likelihood of each candidate by means of Monte Carlo simulations, considering the significant errors often associated with high proper motion stars. We find that nearly half of the candidates exceed their escape velocities with at least 98% probability. Every candidate also has less than a 25% chance of being a high-velocity fluke within the SEGUE sample. Based on orbits calculated using the observed six-dimensional positions and velocities, few, if any, of these candidates originate from the Galactic center. If these candidates are truly hypervelocity stars, they were not ejected by interactions with the Milky Way's supermassive black hole. This calls for a more serious examination of alternative hypervelocity-star ejection scenarios.

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arXiv2013

Metal-Poor Stars Observed with the Magellan Telescope II. Discovery of Four Stars with [Fe/H] < -3.5

We report on the discovery of seven low-metallicity stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO Survey, six of which are extremely metal-poor ([Fe/H]<-3.0), with four having [Fe/H]<-3.5. Chemical abundances or upper limits are derived for these stars based on high-resolution (R~35,000) Magellan/MIKE spectroscopy, and are in general agreement with those of other very and extremely metal-poor stars reported in the literature. Accurate metallicities and abundance patterns for stars in this metallicity range are of particular importance for studies of the shape of the metallicity distribution function of the Milky Way's halo system, in particular for probing the nature of its low-metallicity tail. In addition, taking into account suggested evolutionary mixing effects, we find that six of the program stars (with [Fe/H]<-3.35) possess atmospheres that were likely originally enriched in carbon, relative to iron, during their main-sequence phases. These stars do not exhibit over-abundances of their s-process elements, and hence may be additional examples of the so-called CEMP-no class of objects.

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arXiv2013

Chemical Cartography with APOGEE: Large-scale Mean Metallicity Maps of the Milky Way

We present Galactic mean metallicity maps derived from the first year of the SDSS-III APOGEE experiment. Mean abundances in different zones of Galactocentric radius (0 < R < 15 kpc) at a range of heights above the plane (0 < |z| < 3 kpc), are derived from a sample of nearly 20,000 stars with unprecedented coverage, including stars in the Galactic mid-plane at large distances. We also split the sample into subsamples of stars with low and high-[α/M] abundance ratios. We assess possible biases in deriving the mean abundances, and find they are likely to be small except in the inner regions of the Galaxy. A negative radial gradient exists over much of the Galaxy; however, the gradient appears to flatten for R < 6 kpc, in particular near the Galactic mid-plane and for low-[α/M] stars. At R > 6 kpc, the gradient flattens as one moves off of the plane, and is flatter at all heights for high-[α/M] stars than for low-[α/M] stars. Alternatively, these gradients can be described as vertical gradients that flatten at larger Galactocentric radius; these vertical gradients are similar for both low and high-[α/M] populations. Stars with higher [α/M] appear to have a flatter radial gradient than stars with lower [α/M]. This could suggest that the metallicity gradient has grown steeper with time or, alternatively, that gradients are washed out over time by migration of stars.

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arXiv2013

Carbon-enhanced Metal-poor Stars in SDSS/SEGUE. I. Carbon Abundance Estimation and Frequency of CEMP Stars

We describe a method for the determination of stellar [C/Fe] abundance ratios using low-resolution (R = 2000) stellar spectra from the SDSS and SEGUE. By means of a star-by-star comparison with a set of SDSS/SEGUE spectra with available estimates of [C/Fe] based on published high-resolution analyses, we demonstrate that we can measure [C/Fe] from SDSS/SEGUE spectra with S/N > 15 to a precision better than 0.35 dex. Using the measured carbon-to-iron abundance ratios obtained by this technique, we derive the frequency of carbon-enhanced stars ([C/Fe] > +0.7) as a function of [Fe/H], for both the SDSS/SEGUE stars and other samples from the literature. We find that the differential frequency slowly rises from almost zero to about 14% at [Fe/H] ~ -2.4, followed by a sudden increase, by about a factor of three, to 39% from [Fe/H] ~ -2.4 to [Fe/H] ~ -3.7. We also examine how the cumulative frequency of CEMP stars varies across different luminosity classes. The giant sample exhibits a cumulative CEMP frequency of 32% for [Fe/H] < -2.5, 31% for [Fe/H] < -3.0, and 33% for [Fe/H] < -3.5. For the main-sequence turnoff stars, we obtain a lower cumulative CEMP frequency, around 10% for [Fe/H] < -2.5. The dwarf population displays a large change in the cumulative frequency for CEMP stars below [Fe/H] = -2.5, jumping from 15% for [Fe/H] < -2.5 to about 75% for [Fe/H] < -3.0. When we impose a restriction with respect to distance from the Galactic mid-plane (|Z| < 5 kpc), the frequency of the CEMP giants does not increase at low metallicity ([Fe/H] < -2.5), but rather, decreases, due to the dilution of C-rich material in stars that have undergone mixing with CNO-processed material from their interiors. The frequency of CEMP stars near the main-sequence turnoff, which are not expected to have experienced mixing, increases for [Fe/H] < -3.0. [abridged]

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arXiv2013

Carbon-enhanced Metal-poor Stars in SDSS/SEGUE. II. Comparison of CEMP Star Frequencies with Binary Population Synthesis Models

We present a comparison of the frequencies of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) giant and main-sequence turnoff stars, selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration, with predictions from asymptotic giant-branch (AGB) mass-transfer models. We consider two initial mass functions (IMFs)-a Salpeter IMF, and a mass function with a characteristic mass of 10 solar mass. These comparisons indicate good agreement between the observed CEMP frequencies for stars with [Fe/H] > -1.5 and a Salpeter IMF, but not with an IMF having a higher characteristic mass. Thus, while the adopted AGB model works well for low-mass progenitor stars, it does not do so for high-mass progenitors. Our results imply that the IMF shifted from high- to low-mass dominated in the early history of the Milky Way, which appears to have occurred at a "chemical time" between [Fe/H] = -2.5 and [Fe/H] = -1.5. The corrected CEMP frequency for the turnoff stars with [Fe/H] < -3.0 is much higher than the AGB model prediction from the high-mass IMF, supporting the previous assertion that one or more additional mechanisms, not associated with AGB stars, are required for the production of carbon-rich material below [Fe/H] = -3.0. [abridged]

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arXiv2013

Discovery of a Dynamical Cold Point in the Heart of the Sagittarius dSph Galaxy with Observations from the APOGEE Project

The dynamics of the core of the Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy are explored using high-resolution (R~22,500), H-band, near-infrared spectra of over 1,000 giant stars in the central 3 deg^2 of the system, of which 328 are identified as Sgr members. These data, among some of the earliest observations from the SDSS-III/Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) and the largest published sample of high resolution Sgr dSph spectra to date, reveal a distinct gradient in the velocity dispersion of Sgr from 11-14 km/s for radii >0.8 degrees from center to a dynamical cold point of 8 km/s in the Sgr center --- a trend differing from that found in previous kinematical analyses of Sgr over larger scales that suggest a more or less flat dispersion profile at these radii. Well-fitting mass models with either cored and cusped dark matter distributions can be found to match the kinematical results, although the cored profile succeeds with significantly more isotropic stellar orbits than required for a cusped profile. It is unlikely that the cold point reflects an unusual mass distribution. The dispersion gradient may arise from variations in the mixture of populations with distinct kinematics within the dSph; this explanation is suggested (e.g., by detection of a metallicity gradient across similar radii), but not confirmed, by the present data. Despite these remaining uncertainties about their interpretation, these early test data (including some from instrument commissioning) demonstrate APOGEE's usefulness for precision dynamical studies, even for fields observed at extreme airmasses.

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arXiv2013

Galactic Stellar Populations in the Era of SDSS and Other Large Surveys

Studies of stellar populations, understood to mean collections of stars with common spatial, kinematic, chemical, and/or age distributions, have been reinvigorated during the last decade by the advent of large-area sky surveys such as SDSS, 2MASS, RAVE, and others. We review recent analyses of these data that, together with theoretical and modeling advances, are revolutionizing our understanding of the nature of the Milky Way, and galaxy formation and evolution in general. The formation of galaxies like the Milky Way was long thought to be a steady process leading to a smooth distribution of stars. However, the abundance of substructure in the multi-dimensional space of various observables, such as position, kinematics, and metallicity, is by now proven beyond doubt, and demonstrates the importance of mergers in the growth of galaxies. Unlike smooth models that involve simple components, the new data reviewed here clearly show many irregular structures, such as the Sagittarius dwarf tidal stream and the Virgo and Pisces overdensities in the halo, and the Monoceros stream closer to the Galactic plane. These recent developments have made it clear that the Milky Way is a complex and dynamical structure, one that is still being shaped by the merging of neighboring smaller galaxies. We also briefly discuss the next generation of wide-field sky surveys, such as SkyMapper, Pan-STARRS, Gaia and LSST, which will improve measurement precision manyfold, and comprise billions of individual stars. The ultimate goal, development of a coherent and detailed story of the assembly and evolutionary history of the Milky Way and other large spirals like it, now appears well within reach.

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arXiv2013

The Open Cluster Chemical Analysis and Mapping Survey: Local Galactic Metallicity Gradient with APOGEE using SDSS DR10

The Open Cluster Chemical Analysis and Mapping (OCCAM) Survey aims to produce a comprehensive, uniform, infrared-based dataset for hundreds of open clusters, and constrain key Galactic dynamical and chemical parameters from this sample. This first contribution from the OCCAM survey presents analysis of 141 members stars in 28 open clusters with high-resolution metallicities derived from a large uniform sample collected as part of the SDSS-III/Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). This sample includes the first high-resolution metallicity measurements for 22 open clusters. With this largest ever uniformly observed sample of open cluster stars we investigate the Galactic disk gradients of both [M/H] and [alpha/M]. We find basically no gradient across this range in [alpha/M], but [M/H] does show a gradient for R_{GC} < 10 kpc and a significant flattening beyond R_{GC} = 10 kpc. In particular, whereas fitting a single linear trend yields an [M/H] gradient of -0.09 +/- 0.03$ dex/kpc --- similar to previously measure gradients inside 13 kpc --- by independently fitting inside and outside 10 kpc separately we find a significantly steeper gradient near the Sun (7.9 <= R_{GC} <= 10) than previously found (-0.20 +/- 0.08 dex/kpc) and a nearly flat trend beyond 10 kpc (-0.02 +/- 0.09 dex/kpc).

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arXiv2013

Modelling the nucleosynthetic properties of carbon-enhanced metal-poor RR Lyrae stars

Certain carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars likely obtained their composition via pollution from some of the earliest generations of asymptotic giant branch stars and as such provide important clues to early Universe nucleosynthesis. Recently, Kinman et al. discovered that the highly carbon- and barium-enriched metal-poor star SDSS J1707+58 is in fact an RR Lyrae pulsator. This gives us an object in a definite evolutionary state where the effects of dilution of material during the Main Sequence are minimised owing to the object having passed through first dredge-up. We perform detailed stellar modelling of putative progenitor systems in which we accreted material from asymptotic giant branch stars in the mass range 1-2 solar masses. We investigate how the surface abundances are affected by the inclusion of mechanisms like thermohaline mixing and gravitational settling. While we are able to find a reasonable fit to the carbon and sodium abundances of SDSS J1707+58, suggesting accretion of around 0.1 solar masses from a 2 solar mass companion, the strontium and barium abundances remain problematic and this object may have experienced something other than a standard $s$ process. We have more success in fitting the abundances of the mildly carbon-enriched, metal-poor RR Lyrae pulsator TY Gru (CS 22881-071), which we suggest received 0.1 solar masses of material from a companion of around 1 solar mass.

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arXiv2013

Metal-Poor Stars Observed with the Magellan Telescope I. Constraints on Progenitor Mass and Metallicity of AGB Stars Undergoing s-Process Nucleosynthesis

We present a comprehensive abundance analysis of two newly-discovered carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars. HE2138-3336 is a s-process-rich star with [Fe/H] = -2.79, and has the highest [Pb/Fe] abundance ratio measured thus far, if NLTE corrections are included ([Pb/Fe] = +3.84). HE2258-6358, with [Fe/H] = -2.67, exhibits enrichments in both s- and r-process elements. These stars were selected from a sample of candidate metal-poor stars from the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey, and followed up with medium-resolution (R ~ 2,000) spectroscopy with GEMINI/GMOS. We report here on derived abundances (or limits) for a total of 34 elements in each star, based on high-resolution (R ~ 30,000) spectroscopy obtained with Magellan-Clay/MIKE. Our results are compared to predictions from new theoretical AGB nucleosynthesis models of 1.3 Mo with [Fe/H] = -2.5 and -2.8, as well as to a set of AGB models of 1.0 to 6.0 Mo at [Fe/H] = -2.3. The agreement with the model predictions suggests that the neutron-capture material in HE2138-3336 originated from mass transfer from a binary companion star that previously went through the AGB phase, whereas for HE2258-6358, an additional process has to be taken into account to explain its abundance pattern. We find that a narrow range of progenitor masses (1.0 < M(Mo) < 1.3) and metallicities (-2.8 < [Fe/H] < -2.5) yield the best agreement with our observed elemental abundance patterns.

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arXiv2013

Very Metal-poor Stars in the Outer Galactic Bulge Found by the Apogee Survey

Despite its importance for understanding the nature of early stellar generations and for constraining Galactic bulge formation models, at present little is known about the metal-poor stellar content of the central Milky Way. This is a consequence of the great distances involved and intervening dust obscuration, which challenge optical studies. However, the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), a wide-area, multifiber, high-resolution spectroscopic survey within Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III), is exploring the chemistry of all Galactic stellar populations at infrared wavelengths, with particular emphasis on the disk and the bulge. An automated spectral analysis of data on 2,403 giant stars in twelve fields in the bulge obtained during APOGEE commissioning yielded five stars with low metallicity([Fe/H]$\le-1.7$), including two that are very metal-poor [Fe/H]$\sim-2.1$ by bulge standards. Luminosity-based distance estimates place the five stars within the outer bulge, where other 1,246 of the analyzed stars may reside. A manual reanalysis of the spectra verifies the low metallicities, and finds these stars to be enhanced in the $α$-elements O, Mg, and Si without significant $α$-pattern differences with other local halo or metal-weak thick-disk stars of similar metallicity, or even with other more metal-rich bulge stars. While neither the kinematics nor chemistry of these stars can yet definitively determine which, if any, are truly bulge members, rather than denizens of other populations co-located with the bulge, the newly-identified stars reveal that the chemistry of metal-poor stars in the central Galaxy resembles that of metal-weak thick-disk stars at similar metallicity.

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arXiv2012

Very Metal-Poor Outer-Halo Stars with Round Orbits

The orbital motions of halo stars in the Milky Way reflect the orbital motions of the progenitor systems in which they formed, making it possible to trace the mass-assembly history of the Galaxy. Direct measurement of three-dimensional velocities, based on accurate proper motions and line-of-sight velocities, has revealed that the majority of halo stars in the inner-halo region move on eccentric orbits. However, our understanding of the motions of distant, in-situ halo-star samples is still limited, due to the lack of accurate proper motions for these stars. Here we explore a model-independent analysis of the line-of-sight velocities and spatial distribution of a recent sample of 1865 carefully selected halo blue horizontal-branch (BHB) stars within 30 kpc of the Galactic center. We find that the mean rotational velocity of the very metal-poor ([Fe/H] < -2.0) BHB stars significantly lags behind that of the relatively more metal-rich ([Fe/H] > -2.0) BHB stars. We also find that the relatively more metal-rich BHB stars are dominated by stars with eccentric orbits, as previously observed for other stellar samples in the inner-halo region. By contrast, the very metal-poor BHB stars are dominated by stars on rounder, lower-eccentricity orbits. Our results indicate that the motion of the progenitor systems of the Milky Way that contributed to the stellar populations found within 30 kpc correlates directly with their metal abundance, which may be related to their physical properties such as gas fractions. These results are consistent with the existence of an inner/outer halo structure for the halo system, as advocated by Carollo et al. (2010).

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arXiv2012

The Stellar Metallicity Distribution Function of the Galactic Halo from SDSS Photometry

We explore the stellar metallicity distribution function of the Galactic halo based on SDSS ugriz photometry. A set of stellar isochrones is calibrated using observations of several star clusters and validated by comparisons with medium-resolution spectroscopic values over a wide range of metal abundance. We estimate distances and metallicities for individual main-sequence stars in the multiply scanned SDSS Stripe 82, at heliocentric distances in the range 5 - 8 kpc and |b| > 35 deg, and find that the in situ photometric metallicity distribution has a shape that matches that of the kinematically-selected local halo stars from Ryan & Norris. We also examine independent kinematic information from proper-motion measurements for high Galactic latitude stars in our sample. We find that stars with retrograde rotation in the rest frame of the Galaxy are generally more metal poor than those exhibiting prograde rotation, which is consistent with earlier arguments by Carollo et al. that the halo system comprises at least two spatially overlapping components with differing metallicity, kinematics, and spatial distributions. The observed photometric metallicity distribution and that of Ryan & Norris can be described by a simple chemical evolution model by Hartwick (or by a single Gaussian distribution); however, the suggestive metallicity-kinematic correlation contradicts the basic assumption in this model that the Milky Way halo consists primarily of a single stellar population. When the observed metallicity distribution is deconvolved using two Gaussian components with peaks at [Fe/H] ~ -1.7 and -2.3, the metal-poor component accounts for ~20% - 35% of the entire halo population in this distance range.

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arXiv2012

Vertical density waves in the Milky Way disc induced by the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy

Recently, Widrow and collaborators announced the discovery of vertical density waves in the Milky Way disk. Here we investigate a scenario where these waves were induced by the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy as it plunged through the Galaxy. Using numerical simulations, we find that the Sagittarius impact produces North-South asymmetries and vertical wave-like behavior that qualitatively agrees with what is observed. The extent to which vertical modes can radially penetrate into the disc, as well as their amplitudes, depend on the mass of the perturbing satellite. We show that the mean height of the disc is expected to vary more rapidly in the radial than in the azimuthal direction. If the observed vertical density asymmetry is indeed caused by vertical oscillations, we predict radial and azimuthal variations of the mean vertical velocity, correlating with the spatial structure. These variations can have amplitudes as large as 8 km/s.

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arXiv2012

The Most Metal-Poor Stars. IV. The Two Populations With [Fe/H] < -3.0

We discuss the carbon-normal and carbon-rich populations of Galactic halo stars having [Fe/H] < -3.0, utilizing chemical abundances from high-resolution, high-S/N model-atmosphere analyses. The C-rich population represents ~28% of stars below [Fe/H] = -3.1, with the present C-rich sample comprising 16 CEMP-no stars, and two others with [Fe/H] ~ -5.5 and uncertain classification. The population is O-rich ([O/Fe] > +1.5); the light elements Na, Mg, and Al are enhanced relative to Fe in half the sample; and for Z > 20 (Ca) there is little evidence for enhancements relative to solar values. These results are best explained in terms of the admixing and processing of material from H-burning and He-burning regions as achieved by nucleosynthesis in zero-heavy-element models in the literature of "mixing and fallback" supernovae (SNe); of rotating, massive and intermediate mass stars; and of Type II SNe with relativistic jets. The available (limited) radial velocities offer little support for the C-rich stars with [Fe/H] < -3.1 being binary. More data are required before one could conclude that binarity is key to an understanding of this population. We suggest that the C-rich and C-normal populations result from two different gas cooling channels in the very early Universe, of material that formed the progenitors of the two populations. The first was cooling by fine-structure line transitions of CII and OI (to form the C-rich population); the second, while not well-defined (perhaps dust-induced cooling?), led to the C-normal group. In this scenario, the C-rich population contains the oldest stars currently observed.

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arXiv2012

New Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Heavy Elements in Four Metal-Poor Stars

Elements heavier than the iron group are found in nearly all halo stars. A substantial number of these elements, key to understanding neutron-capture nucleosynthesis mechanisms, can only be detected in the near-ultraviolet. We report the results of an observing campaign using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope to study the detailed heavy element abundance patterns in four metal-poor stars. We derive abundances or upper limits from 27 absorption lines of 15 elements produced by neutron-capture reactions, including seven elements (germanium, cadmium, tellurium, lutetium, osmium, platinum, and gold) that can only be detected in the near-ultraviolet. We also examine 202 heavy element absorption lines in ground-based optical spectra obtained with the Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle Spectrograph on the Magellan-Clay Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory and the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer on the Keck I Telescope on Mauna Kea. We have detected up to 34 elements heavier than zinc. The bulk of the heavy elements in these four stars are produced by r-process nucleosynthesis. These observations affirm earlier results suggesting that the tellurium found in metal-poor halo stars with moderate amounts of r-process material scales with the rare earth and third r-process peak elements. Cadmium often follows the abundances of the neighboring elements palladium and silver. We identify several sources of systematic uncertainty that must be considered when comparing these abundances with theoretical predictions. We also present new isotope shift and hyperfine structure component patterns for Lu II and Pb I lines of astrophysical interest.

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arXiv2012

High-Resolution Spectroscopy of Extremely Metal-Poor Stars from SDSS/SEGUE: I. Atmospheric Parameters and Chemical Compositions

Chemical compositions are determined based on high-resolution spectroscopy for 137 candidate extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and its first stellar extension, the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE). High-resolution spectra with moderate signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios were obtained with the High Dispersion Spectrograph of the Subaru Telescope. Most of the sample (approximately 80%) are main-sequence turn-off stars, including dwarfs and subgiants. Four cool main-sequence stars, the most metal-deficient such stars known, are included in the remaining sample. Good agreement is found between effective temperatures estimated by the SEGUE stellar parameter pipeline, based on the SDSS/SEGUE medium-resolution spectra, and those estimated from the broadband $(V-K)_0$ and $(g-r)_0$ colors. Our abundance measurements reveal that 70 stars in our sample have [Fe/H] $ < -3$, adding a significant number of EMP stars to the currently known sample. Our analyses determine the abundances of eight elements (C, Na, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, Sr, and Ba) in addition to Fe. The fraction of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars ([C/Fe]$> +0.7$) among the 25 giants in our sample is as high as 36%, while only a lower limit on the fraction (9%) is estimated for turn-off stars. This paper is the first of a series of papers based on these observational results. The following papers in this series will discuss the higher-resolution and higher-S/N observations of a subset of this sample, the metallicity distribution function, binarity, and correlations between the chemical composition and kinematics of extremely metal-poor stars.

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arXiv2012

The Metallicity Distribution Functions of SEGUE G and K dwarfs: Constraints for Disk Chemical Evolution and Formation

We present the metallicity distribution function (MDF) for 24,270 G and 16,847 K dwarfs at distances from 0.2 to 2.3 kpc from the Galactic plane, based on spectroscopy from the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE) survey. This stellar sample is significantly larger in both number and volume than previous spectroscopic analyses, which were limited to the solar vicinity, making it ideal for comparison with local volume-limited samples and Galactic models. For the first time, we have corrected the MDF for the various observational biases introduced by the SEGUE target selection strategy. The SEGUE sample is particularly notable for K dwarfs, which are too faint to examine spectroscopically far from the solar neighborhood. The MDF of both spectral types becomes more metal-poor with increasing |Z|, which reflects the transition from a sample with small [alpha/Fe] values at small heights to one with enhanced [alpha/Fe] above 1 kpc. Comparison of our SEGUE distributions to those of two different Milky Way models reveals that both are more metal-rich than our observed distributions at all heights above the plane. Our unbiased observations of G and K dwarfs provide valuable constraints over the |Z|-height range of the Milky Way disk for chemical and dynamical Galaxy evolution models, previously only calibrated to the solar neighborhood, with particular utility for thin- and thick-disk formation models.

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