Photometric analysis yields metallicity distributions for 3917 stars across 12 faint Milky Way satellites, showing average [Fe/H] ~ -2.3 dex, 170 EMP candidates, and no gradients in ultra-faint systems.
Spectroscopic Confirmation of the Dwarf Galaxies Hydra II and Pisces II and the Globular Cluster Laevens 1
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abstract
We present Keck/DEIMOS spectroscopy of stars in the recently discovered Milky Way satellites Hydra II, Pisces II, and Laevens 1. We measured a velocity dispersion of 5.4 (+3.6 -2.4) km/s for Pisces II, but we did not resolve the velocity dispersions of Hydra II or Laevens 1. We marginally resolved the metallicity dispersions of Hydra II and Pisces II but not Laevens 1. Furthermore, Hydra II and Pisces II obey the luminosity-metallicity relation for Milky Way dwarf galaxies (<[Fe/H]> = -2.02 +/- 0.08 and -2.45 +/- 0.07, respectively), whereas Laevens 1 does not (<[Fe/H]> = -1.68 +/- 0.05). The kinematic and chemical properties suggest that Hydra II and Pisces II are dwarf galaxies, and Laevens 1 is a globular cluster. We determined that two of the previously observed blue stars near the center of Laevens 1 are not members of the cluster. A third blue star has ambiguous membership. Hydra II has a radial velocity <v_helio> = 303.1 +/- 1.4 km/s, similar to the leading arm of the Magellanic stream. The mass-to-light ratio for Pisces II is 370 (+310 -240) M_sun/L_sun. It is not among the most dark matter-dominated dwarf galaxies, but it is still worthy of inclusion in the search for gamma rays from dark matter self-annihilation.
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The Pristine Dwarf Galaxy Survey -- VII. The metallicity distributions of 12 Milky Way faint satellites
Photometric analysis yields metallicity distributions for 3917 stars across 12 faint Milky Way satellites, showing average [Fe/H] ~ -2.3 dex, 170 EMP candidates, and no gradients in ultra-faint systems.