7-D mapping of the Milky Way with SDSS
Mario Juric (IAS)
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey is currently the largest dataset of main
sequence stars with accurate multi-band photometry and astrometry, allowing
us for the first time to directly map the number density, kinematics, and
metallicity distributions of stars over a representative portion of the
Galaxy. These maps have enabled us to assess the global properties of the
Milky Way, identify infalling satellites and tidally disrupted remnants,
study the structure and origin of Galactic components, and work towards
building a self-consistent dynamical model of the Galaxy.
In this colloquium, I will review the methods and results of mapping the
Milky Way with SDSS, focusing on most recent number density and metallicity
results and future prospects. The methodology and tools developed for SDSS
and presented in this talk will be directly applicable to upcoming
wide-field surveys such as SkyMapper, PanSTARRS and LSST, allowing for
similar studies to distances of ~150kpc and beyond.