Age demographics of the Milky Way disc and bulge

Abstract

We exploit the extensive Gaia Data Release 2 set of long-period variables to select a sample of O-rich Miras throughout the Milky Way disc and bulge for study. Exploiting the relation between Mira pulsation period and stellar age/chemistry, we slice the stellar density of the Galactic disc and bulge as a function of period. We find that the morphology of both components evolves as a function of stellar age/chemistry with the stellar disc being stubby at old ages, becoming progressively thinner and more radially extended at younger stellar ages, consistent with the picture of inside-out and upside-down formation of the Milky Way's disc. We see evidence of a perturbed disc, with large-scale stellar overdensities visible both in and away from the stellar plane. We find that the bulge is well modelled by a triaxial boxy distribution with an axial ratio of ∼1:0.4:0.3. The oldest of the Miras (∼9-10 Gyr) show little bar-like morphology, while the younger stars appear inclined at a viewing angle of ∼21° to the Sun-Galactic Centre line. This suggests that bar formation and buckling took place 8-9 Gyr ago, with the older Miras being hot enough to avoid being trapped by the growing bar. We find the youngest Miras to exhibit a strong peanut morphology, bearing the characteristic X-shape of an inclined bar structure.