Probing the Galactic thick disc vertical properties and interfaces

Abstract

Aims. This work investigates the properties (metallicity and kinematics) and interfaces of the Galactic thick disc as a function of height above the Galactic plane. The main aim is to study the thick disc in a place where it is the main component of the sample. Methods. We take advantage of former astrometric work in two fields of several square degrees in which accurate proper motions were measured down to V-magnitudes of 18.5 in two directions, one near the north galactic pole and the other at a galactic latitude of 46° and galactic longitude near 0°. Spectroscopic observations have been acquired in these two fields for a total of about 400 stars down to magnitude 18.0, at spectral resolutions of 3.5 to 6.25 Å. The spectra have been analysed with the code ETOILE, comparing the target stellar spectra with a grid of 1400 reference stellar spectra. This comparison allowed us to derive the parameters effective temperature, gravity, [Fe/H] and absolute magnitude for each target star. Results. The Metallicity Distribution Function (MDF) of the thin-thick-disc-halo system is derived for several height intervals between 0 and 5 kpc above the Galactic plane. The MDFs show a decrease of the ratio of the thin to thick disc stars between the first and second kilo-parsec. This is consistent with the classical modelling of the vertical density profile of the disc with 2 populations with different scale heights. A vertical metallicity gradient, θ [Fe/H]/θ z = -0.068 ± 0.009 dex kpc-1, is observed in the thick disc. It is discussed in terms of scenarios of formation of the thick disc. © 2010 ESO.