The Systemic Velocity and Internal Kinematics of the Dwarf Galaxy LGS 3: An Optical Foray beyond the Milky Way

Kem H. Cook, Mario Mateo, Edward W. Olszewski, Steven S. Vogt, C. Stubbs, A. Diercks
1999 Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific  
We have obtained radial velocities of three K giants and one faint carbon star in LGS 3, a dwarf companion of M31, based on 12 individual spectra obtained with the HIRES spectrograph on the Keck I telescope. The mean precision of these measurements is 3.8 km s~1. The mean systemic velocity of LGS 3 is [282.2^3.5 km s~1. Monte Carlo simulations that take into account the individual velocity uncertainties and the maximum observed velocity di †erence reveal that the central velocity dispersion of
more » ... GS 3 is in the range 2.6È30.5 km s~1, with 95% conÐdence ; the most likely value for the central dispersion is km s~1. These results agree with the kinematics of H I gas in LGS 3. This contrasts with the 7.9~2 .9 5.3 tendency for the gas and stars in other low-luminosity Local Group dwarfs to exhibit distinct spatial and kinematic properties. Taking into account the relative youth of LGS 3, we conclude that the "" asymptotic ÏÏ M/L ratioÈthe value the galaxy would exhibit if it were composed only of ancient starsÈis M/L V,LGS3 º 11 (at a 97.5% conÐdence level), with a most probable value of These values are consistent with the 95~5 6 175. ratios observed in other well-studied early-type dwarfs of the Local Group. We have also estimated M/L V the mass of LGS 3 using modiÐed Newtonian dynamics. These data represent the Ðrst moderately high precision optical spectra of giants in a dwarf system beyond the Galactic halo. We suggest future studies that are now feasible to study the dynamics of dwarf galaxies throughout the Local Group and beyond. ÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ 1 Based on observations obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is jointly operated by the
doi:10.1086/316339 fatcat:opqbfiqyojb6teltnx5yutjgwy