Characterization of chemodynamical properties of Monoceros stellar overdensity

• Grant number: 21/09967-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2021
• End date: December 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Stellar Astrophysics
• Principal Investigator: Hélio Dotto Perottoni
• Grantee: Lais Borbolato Soares
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Monoceros was discovered as an extensive low-latitude substructure, located above and below the Galactic disk toward the anticenter, extending over 100 degrees across the sky. Since its discovery, its nature has been under discussion, and it could have a Galactic origin or be a remnant of a dwarf galaxy accreted by the Milky Way. To explore stellar overdensities, recent works have shown that there is enormous potential in using the combination of astrometry data from Gaia with large spectroscopic databases, which has not yet been explored in the study of Monoceros overdensity. Thus, this project combines spectroscopic (GALAH and APOGEE), photometric (2MASS), and astrometric (Gaia) data to unravel the nature of the over-density of Monoceros through the chemodynamical properties of its stars. We will analyze the orbital parameters and chemical abundances of stars located at different radii concentric with the Galactic center for the regions of higher density of Monoceros. Therefore, we will be able to characterize chemodynamically this stellar overdensity to study its nature. Furthermore, identifying the over density in abundance and dynamical spaces will allow the selection of stars that are more likely to belong to the Moneceros. The identified objects will be submitted to high-resolution spectroscopic monitoring to study the pattern of chemical elements in this region.(AU)