ALBERT

Description: Context. The age–velocity dispersion relation is an important tool to understand the evolution of the disc of the Andromeda galaxy (M 31) in comparison with the Milky Way. Aims. We use planetary nebulae (PNe) to obtain the age–velocity dispersion relation in different radial bins of the M 31 disc. Methods. We separate the observed PNe sample based on their extinction values into two distinct age populations in the M 31 disc. The observed velocities of our high- and low-extinction PNe, which correspond to higher- and lower-mass progenitors, respectively, are fitted in de-projected elliptical bins to obtain their rotational velocities, Vϕ, and corresponding dispersions, σϕ. We assign ages to the two PN populations by comparing central-star properties of an archival sub-sample of PNe, that have models fitted to their observed spectral features, to stellar evolution tracks. Results. For the high- and low-extinction PNe, we find ages of ∼2.5 and ∼4.5 Gyr, respectively, with distinct kinematics beyond a deprojected radius RGC = 14 kpc. At RGC = 17–20 kpc, which is the equivalent distance in disc scale lengths of the Sun in the Milky Way disc, we obtain σϕ,  2.5 Gyr = 61 ± 14 km s−1 and σϕ,  4.5 Gyr = 101 ± 13 km s−1. The age–velocity dispersion relation for the M 31 disc is obtained in two radial bins, RGC = 14–17 and 17–20 kpc. Conclusions. The high- and low-extinction PNe are associated with the young thin and old thicker disc of M 31, respectively, whose velocity dispersion values increase with age. These values are almost twice and three times that of the Milky Way disc stellar population of corresponding ages, respectively. From comparison with simulations of merging galaxies, we find that the age–velocity dispersion relation in the M 31 disc measured using PNe is indicative of a single major merger that occurred 2.5–4.5 Gyr ago with an estimated merger mass ratio ≈1:5.

Description: Leo T is a gas-rich dwarf located at $414, { m kpc}$ (1.4Rvir) distance from the Milky Way (MW) and it is currently assumed to be on its first approach. Here, we present an analysis of orbits calculated backwards in time for the dwarf with our new code delorean, exploring a range of systematic uncertainties, e.g.  MW virial mass and accretion, M31 potential, and cosmic expansion. We discover that orbits with tangential velocities in the Galactic standard-of-rest frame lower than $| vec{u}_{ m t}^{ m GSR}| le 63^{+47}_{-39}, { m km}, { m s}^{ m -1}$ result in backsplash solutions, i.e. orbits that entered and left the MW dark matter halo in the past, and that velocities above $| vec{u}_{ m t}^{ m GSR}| ge 21^{+33}_{-21}, { m km}, { m s}^{ m -1}$ result in wide-orbit backsplash solutions with a minimum pericentre range of $D_{ m min} ge 38^{+26}_{-16}, { m kpc}$, which would allow this satellite to survive gas stripping and tidal disruption. Moreover, new proper motion estimates overlap with our orbital solution regions. We applied our method to other distant MW satellites, finding a range of gas stripped backsplash solutions for the gasless Cetus and Eridanus II, providing a possible explanation for their lack of cold gas, while only first infall solutions are found for the H i-rich Phoenix I. We also find that the cosmic expansion can delay their first pericentre passage when compared to the non-expanding scenario. This study explores the provenance of these distant dwarfs and provides constraints on the environmental and internal processes that shaped their evolution and current properties.