A puzzle involving galactic bulge microlensing events
Date
2010
Authors
Cohen, Judith G
Gould, A
Thompson, Ian
Feltzing, Sofia
Bensby, T
Johnson, Jennifer A
Huang, Wenjin
Melendez, Jorge
Lucatello, Sara
Asplund, Martin
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Volume Title
Publisher
Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd.
Abstract
We study a sample of 16 microlensed Galactic bulge main-sequence turnoff region stars for which high-dispersion spectra have been obtained with detailed abundance analyses. We demonstrate that there is a very strong and highly statistically significant correlation between the maximum magnification of the microlensed bulge star and the value of the [Fe/H] deduced from the high resolution spectrum of each object. Physics demands that this correlation, assuming it to be real, be the result of some sample bias. We suggest several possible explanations, but are forced to reject them all, and are left puzzled. To obtain a reliable metallicity distribution in the Galactic bulge based on microlensed dwarf stars, it will be necessary to resolve this issue through the course of additional observations.
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Keywords
Keywords: Galaxy: bulge; Gravitational lensing: micro; Stars: abundances
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Source
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Type
Journal article
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Restricted until
2037-12-31
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