M31遥远外晕中的一颗特殊暗卫星
A peculiar faint satellite in the remote outer halo of M31
摘要：
我们目前哈勃太空望远镜成像的一个新发现的微弱恒星系统，PAndAS-48，在郊区的M31晕。我们的测光显示，这个天体是由一个古老的、非常贫金属的恒星星族组成的，年龄> 10 Gyr，[Fe/H] <-2.3。我们推断的距离模数为24.57 +/- 0.11，证实PAndAS-48最有可能是一颗遥远的M31卫星，其三维银河系中心半径为149（+19 -8）kpc。我们观察到一个明显的传播颜色的上部红巨星分支，大于光度不确定性应该允许，并简要探讨这一点的影响。在结构上，PAdAS-48是漫射的、微弱的、适度平坦的，半光半径rh = 26（+4 -3）pc，积分亮度Mv = -4.8 +/- 0.5，椭圆率= 0.30（+0.08 -0.15）。在大小-光度平面上，它落在几个邻近星系中看到的扩展球状星团和最近发现的银河系微弱的矮卫星之间;然而，它的特征不允许我们明确地将其归类为任何类型的系统。如果PAndAS-48是一个球状星团，那么它是本星系群中最椭圆、孤立和金属贫乏的星团之一。相反，虽然它的性质与暗银河系矮星的观测结果基本一致，但它的空间范围比任何已知的光度相当的矮星小2-3倍。
英文摘要：
We present Hubble Space Telescope imaging of a newly-discovered faint stellar system, PAndAS-48, in the outskirts of the M31 halo. Our photometry reveals this object to be comprised of an ancient and very metal-poor stellar population with age > 10 Gyr and [Fe/H] < -2.3. Our inferred distance modulus of 24.57 +/- 0.11 confirms that PAndAS-48 is most likely a remote M31 satellite with a 3D galactocentric radius of 149 (+19 -8) kpc. We observe an apparent spread in color on the upper red giant branch that is larger than the photometric uncertainties should allow, and briefly explore the implications of this. Structurally, PAndAS-48 is diffuse, faint, and moderately flattened, with a half-light radius rh = 26 (+4 -3) pc, integrated luminosity Mv = -4.8 +/- 0.5, and ellipticity = 0.30 (+0.08 -0.15). On the size-luminosity plane it falls between the extended globular clusters seen in several nearby galaxies, and the recently-discovered faint dwarf satellites of the Milky Way; however, its characteristics do not allow us to unambiguously class it as either type of system. If PAndAS-48 is a globular cluster then it is the among the most elliptical, isolated, and metal-poor of any seen in the Local Group, extended or otherwise. Conversely, while its properties are generally consistent with those observed for the faint Milky Way dwarfs, it would be a factor ~2-3 smaller in spatial extent than any known counterpart of comparable luminosity.
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