A synthetic view on structure and evolution of the Milky Way

A synthetic view on structure and evolution of the Milky Way

October 24, 2018 | A.C. Robin, C. Reylé, S. Derrière, and S. Picaud
This paper presents a synthetic view on the structure and evolution of the Milky Way, using the Besançon model of population synthesis. The authors discuss the constraints obtained from Hipparcos data and large-scale optical and near-infrared surveys, focusing on the Galactic potential, the outer bulge, the warped and flared disc, the thick disc, and the stellar halo. The model is self-consistently computed to agree with observed rotation curves and kinematics. Key parameters such as the initial mass function (IMF), star formation rate (SFR), and metallicity distributions are constrained. The paper also describes applications of the model, including photometric and astrometric simulations, and a new classification tool based on Bayesian probability estimation. The model's predictions are compared with existing data, and ongoing and future improvements are discussed. The overall goal is to provide a reliable tool for interpreting large data sets and testing scenarios of galactic evolution.This paper presents a synthetic view on the structure and evolution of the Milky Way, using the Besançon model of population synthesis. The authors discuss the constraints obtained from Hipparcos data and large-scale optical and near-infrared surveys, focusing on the Galactic potential, the outer bulge, the warped and flared disc, the thick disc, and the stellar halo. The model is self-consistently computed to agree with observed rotation curves and kinematics. Key parameters such as the initial mass function (IMF), star formation rate (SFR), and metallicity distributions are constrained. The paper also describes applications of the model, including photometric and astrometric simulations, and a new classification tool based on Bayesian probability estimation. The model's predictions are compared with existing data, and ongoing and future improvements are discussed. The overall goal is to provide a reliable tool for interpreting large data sets and testing scenarios of galactic evolution.
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