Chasing the Galactic structure using VLBI and Gaia
Abstract
The Bar and Spiral Structure Legacy (BeSSeL) survey and the Bulge Asymmetries and Dynamical Evolution (BAaDE) project target maser stellar emission from young massive stars and evolved stars, respectively. Follow-up radio-astrometric measurements are complementary to Gaia results since the inner plane of the Galaxy is obscured at optical wavelengths. We are constructing a cross-match sample between Gaia sources and BAaDE targets. This resulting sample provides important clues on the intrinsic properties and population distribution of evolved stars in the Galactic plane, but especially at the Galactic Bulge. For the BeSSeL targets, which are heavily obscured, we are investigating whether they can be associated with clusters of massive young stars detectable at optical wavelengths, and how such can contribute to improving the accuracy of the fundamental Galactic parameters and the Galactic spiral structure distribution.
- Publication:
-
The 35th Annual New Mexico Symposium
- Pub Date:
- February 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020anms.conf....4Q