Detection of a Dearth of Stars with Zero Angular Momentum in the Solar Neighborhood

Abstract

We report on the detection in the combined Gaia-DR1/RAVE data of a lack of disk stars in the solar neighborhood with velocities close to zero angular momentum. We propose that this may be caused by the scattering of stars with very low angular momentum onto chaotic, halo-type orbits when they pass through the Galactic nucleus. We model the effect in a Milky Way-like potential and fit the resulting model directly to the data, finding a likelihood (∼ 2.7σ ) of a dip in the distribution. Using this effect, we can make a dynamical measurement of the solar rotation velocity around the Galactic center: {v}_⊙ =239+/- 9 {km} {{{s}}}^-1. Combined with the measured proper motion of Sgr A*, this measurement gives a measurement of the distance to the Galactic center: {R}₀=7.9+/- 0.3 {kpc}.