Professor James Binney FRS

Abstract:

We re-examine the stellar kinematics of the Solar neighbourhood in terms of the velocity of the Sun with respect to the local standard of rest. We show that the classical determination of its component V_sun in the direction of Galactic rotation via Stroemberg's relation is undermined by the metallicity gradient in the disc, which introduces a correlation between the colour of a group of stars and the radial gradients of its properties. Comparing the local stellar kinematics to a chemodynamical model which accounts for these effects, we obtain (U,V,W)_sun = (11.1 +/- 0.74, 12.24 +/- 0.47, 7.25 +/-0.37) km/s, with additional systematic uncertainties of ~ (1,2,0.5) km/s. In particular, V_sun is 7 km/s larger than previously estimated. The new values of solar motion are extremely insensitive to the metallicity gradient within the disc.

Abstract:

The body of photometric and astrometric data on stars in the Galaxy has been growing very fast in recent years (Hipparcos/Tycho, OGLE-3, 2-Mass, DENIS, UCAC2, SDSS, RAVE, Pan Starrs, Hermes, ...) and in two years ESA will launch the Gaia satellite, which will measure astrometric data of unprecedented precision for a billion stars. On account of our position within the Galaxy and the complex observational biases that are built into most catalogues, dynamical models of the Galaxy are a prerequisite full exploitation of these catalogues. On account of the enormous detail in which we can observe the Galaxy, models of great sophistication are required. Moreover, in addition to models we require algorithms for observing them with the same errors and biases as occur in real observational programs, and statistical algorithms for determining the extent to which a model is compatible with a given body of data. JD5 reviewed the status of our knowledge of the Galaxy, the different ways in which we could model the Galaxy, and what will be required to extract our science goals from the data that will be on hand when the Gaia Catalogue becomes available.