Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search

Milky Way satellites shining bright in gravitational waves

From National Research Council Canada

Download
  1. (PDF, 603 KiB)
DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab8ac9
AuthorSearch for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5709-4840; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7387-6754; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6254-1617; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2527-0213; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5438-9152; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6725-5935; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2998-7940; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0933-3579; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4177-0098; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0259-858X; Search for: 1ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1428-5775
Affiliation
  1. National Research Council of Canada. Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics
FormatText, Article
Subjectgravitational wave astronomy; white dwarf stars; Magellanic clouds; dwarf galaxies
Abstract
The population of Milky Way satellite galaxies is of great interest for cosmology, fundamental physics, and astrophysics. They represent the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function, are the most dark-matter-dominated objects in the local universe, and contain the oldest and most metal-poor stellar populations. Recent surveys have revealed around 60 satellites, but this could represent less than half of the total. Characterization of these systems remains a challenge due to their low luminosity. We consider the gravitational-wave observatory LISA as a potential tool for studying these satellites through observations of their short-period double white dwarf populations. LISA will observe the entire sky without selection effects due to dust extinction, complementing optical surveys, and could potentially discover massive satellites hidden behind the disk of the Galaxy.
Publication date
PublisherThe American Astronomical Society / IOP
In
  • The Astrophysical Journal 894, no. 2, L15: 1–6.
LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
Export citationExport as RIS
Report a correctionReport a correction (opens in a new tab)
Record identifier06d714cf-7e65-4ddf-ac28-f4d298286d77
Record created2020-06-30
Record modified2020-07-23
Date modified: