Year: 1996
Type: preprint
Abstract: The MACHO Project has catalogued $\sim 8000$ RR Lyrae stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud, $\sim 1800$ in the Galactic bulge, and $\sim$ 50 in the Sgr dwarf galaxy. These variables are excellent distance indicators, and are used as tools to study the structure of the Large Magellanic Cloud and the bulge. The large datasets also probe uncommon pulsation modes. A number of double-mode RR Lyrae stars (RRd) are found in the Large Magellanic Cloud sample. These stars provide important clues for understanding the formation and evolution of the inner Galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Sgr dwarf galaxy. A large number of second overtone pulsators (RRe) are found in the LMC and bulge. Finally, the RR Lyrae belonging to the Sgr dwarf yield an accurate distance to this galaxy. Their presence also alerts us of the very interesting possibility of distant sources for bulge microlensing events.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: The MACHO Collaboration, Minniti, D., Alcock, C., Alves, D. R., Allsman, R. A., Axelrod, T. S., Becker, A., Bennett, D. P., Cook, K. H., Freeman, K. C., Griest, K., Guern, J. A., Lehner, M. J., Marshall, S. L., Peterson, B. A., Pratt, M. R., Quinn, P. J., Rodgers, A. W., Stubbs, C. W., Sutherland, W., Welch, D. L.
Institutions: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Davis, Australian National University, Mount Stromlo Observatory, University of Washington, University of California San Diego, European Southern Observatory, University of Oxford, McMaster University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2951234855