Microlensing optical depth and event rate in the OGLE-IV Galactic plane fields

Searches for gravitational microlensing events are traditionally concentrated on the central regions of the Galactic bulge but many microlensing events are expected to occur in the Galactic plane, far from the Galactic Center. Owing to the difficulty in conducting high-cadence observations of the Galactic plane over its vast area, which are necessary for the detection of microlensing events, their global properties were hitherto unknown. Here, we present results of the first comprehensive search for microlensing events in the Galactic plane. We searched an area of almost 3000 square degrees along the Galactic plane (|b|<7, 0<l<50, 190<l<360 deg) observed by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) during 2013-2019 and detected 630 events. We demonstrate that the mean Einstein timescales of Galactic plane microlensing events are on average three times longer than those of Galactic bulge events, with little dependence on the Galactic longitude. We also measure the microlensing optical depth and event rate as a function of Galactic longitude and demonstrate that they exponentially decrease with the angular distance from the Galactic Center (with the characteristic angular scale length of 32 deg). The average optical depth decreases from $0.5\times 10^{-6}$ at l=10 deg to $1.5\times 10^{-8}$ in the Galactic anticenter. We also find that the optical depth in the longitude range 240<l<330 deg is asymmetric about the Galactic equator, which we interpret as a signature of the Galactic warp.Comment: ApJS, in pres

Microlensing optical depth and event rate in the OGLE-IV Galactic plane fields

Searches for gravitational microlensing events are traditionally concentrated on the central regions of the Galactic bulge but many microlensing events are expected to occur in the Galactic plane, far from the Galactic Center. Owing to the difficulty in conducting high-cadence observations of the Galactic plane over its vast area, which are necessary for the detection of microlensing events, their global properties were hitherto unknown. Here, we present results of the first comprehensive search for microlensing events in the Galactic plane. We searched an area of almost 3000 square degrees along the Galactic plane (|b| < 7°, 0° < l < 50°, 190° < l < 360°) observed by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) during 2013–2019 and detected 630 events. We demonstrate that the mean Einstein timescales of Galactic plane microlensing events are on average three times longer than those of Galactic bulge events, with little dependence on the Galactic longitude. We also measure the microlensing optical depth and event rate as a function of Galactic longitude and demonstrate that they exponentially decrease with the angular distance from the Galactic Center (with the characteristic angular scale length of 32°). The average optical depth decreases from 0.5 × 10⁻⁶ at l = 10° to 1.5 × 10⁻⁸ in the Galactic anticenter. We also find that the optical depth in the longitude range 240° < l < 330° is asymmetric about the Galactic equator, which we interpret as a signature of the Galactic warp

OGLE-ing the Magellanic System: RR Lyrae Stars in the Bridge

We use the extended and updated Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) Collection of Variable Stars to thoroughly analyze the distribution of RR Lyrae stars in the Magellanic Bridge. We use photometric metallicities to derive the absolute Wesenheit magnitude and individual distance of each RR Lyrae star. We confirm results from our earlier study showing that RR Lyrae stars are present in between the Magellanic Clouds, though their three-dimensional distribution more resembles two extended overlapping structures than a strict bridge-like connection. The contours do connect in the southern parts of the Bridge, albeit on a level too low to state that an evident connection exists. To test the sample numerically, we use multi-Gaussian fitting and conclude that there is no additional population or overdensity located in the Bridge. We also try to reproduce results on the putative RR Lyrae Magellanic Bridge stream by selecting RR Lyrae candidates from Gaia Data Release 1. We show that we are not able to obtain the evident connection of the Clouds without many spurious sources in the sample, as the cuts are not able to remove artifacts without eliminating the evident connection at the same time. Moreover, for the first time, we present the Gaia Data Release 2 RR Lyrae stars in the Magellanic Bridge area and show that their distribution matches our results

OGLE-ing the Magellanic System: RR Lyrae Stars in the Bridge

We use the extended and updated Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) Collection of Variable Stars to thoroughly analyze the distribution of RR Lyrae stars in the Magellanic Bridge. We use photometric metallicities to derive the absolute Wesenheit magnitude and individual distance of each RR Lyrae star. We confirm results from our earlier study showing that RR Lyrae stars are present in between the Magellanic Clouds, though their three-dimensional distribution more resembles two extended overlapping structures than a strict bridge-like connection. The contours do connect in the southern parts of the Bridge, albeit on a level too low to state that an evident connection exists. To test the sample numerically, we use multi-Gaussian fitting and conclude that there is no additional population or overdensity located in the Bridge. We also try to reproduce results on the putative RR Lyrae Magellanic Bridge stream by selecting RR Lyrae candidates from Gaia Data Release 1. We show that we are not able to obtain the evident connection of the Clouds without many spurious sources in the sample, as the cuts are not able to remove artifacts without eliminating the evident connection at the same time. Moreover, for the first time, we present the Gaia Data Release 2 RR Lyrae stars in the Magellanic Bridge area and show that their distribution matches our results

The OGLE Collection of Variable Stars. One Thousand Heartbeat Stars in the Galactic Bulge and Magellanic Clouds

We present a collection of 991 heartbeat star (HBS) candidates found in the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) project data archive. We discuss the selection process of the HBS candidates and the structure of the catalog itself. It consists of 512 stars located toward the Galactic bulge (GB), 439 stars located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), and 40 in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The collection contains two large groups of HBSs with different physical properties. The main distinction between the two groups is the evolutionary status of the primary star. The first group of about 100 systems contains a hot main-sequence (MS) or a Hertzsprung-gap primary star, while the second group of about 900 systems includes a red giant (RG). For each star, we provide two-decade-long time-series photometry, in the Cousins $I$- and Johnson $V$-band filters, obtained by the OGLE project. We also present basic observational information as well as orbital parameters derived from the light curve modeling.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables, submitted to AAS Journals. The full machine-readable tables and links to the catalog will be available after the acceptance of the pape

OGLE-2018-BLG-0532Lb: Cold Neptune With Possible Jovian Sibling

We report the discovery of the planet OGLE-2018-BLG-0532Lb, with very obvious signatures in the light curve that lead to an estimate of the planet-host mass ratio $q=M_{\rm planet}/M_{\rm host}\simeq 1\times10^{-4}$. Although there are no obvious systematic residuals to this double-lens/single-source (2L1S) fit, we find that $\chi^2$ can be significantly improved by adding either a third lens (3L1S, $\Delta\chi^2=81$) or second source (2L2S, $\Delta\chi^2=65$) to the lens-source geometry. After thorough investigation, we conclude that we cannot decisively distinguish between these two scenarios and therefore focus on the robustly-detected planet. However, given the possible presence of a second planet, we investigate to what degree and with what probability such additional planets may affect seemingly single-planet light curves. Our best estimates for the properties of the lens star and the secure planet are: a host mass $M\sim 0.25\,M_\odot$, system distance $D_L\sim 1\,$kpc and planet mass $m_{p,1}= 8\,M_\oplus$ with projected separation $a_{1,\perp}=1.4\,$au. However, there is a relatively bright $I=18.6$ (and also relatively blue) star projected within $<50\,$mas of the lens, and if future high-resolution images show that this is coincident with the lens, then it is possible that it is the lens, in which case, the lens would be both more massive and more distant than the best-estimated values above.Comment: 48 pages, 9 figures, 7 table

The OGLE collection of variable stars : nearly 66,000 Mira stars in the Milky Way

We present a collection of 65,981 Mira-type variable stars found in the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) project database. Two-thirds of our sample (40,356 objects) are located in the Galactic bulge fields, whereas 25,625 stars are in the Galactic disk. The vast majority of the collection (47,532 objects) comprises new discoveries. We provide basic observational parameters of the Mira variables: equatorial coordinates, pulsation periods, I-band and V-band mean magnitudes, I-band brightness amplitudes, and identifications in other catalogs of variable stars. We also provide the I-band and V-band time-series photometry collected since 1997 during the OGLE-II, OGLE-III, and OGLE-IV phases. The classical selection process, i.e., being mostly based on the visual inspection of light curves by experienced astronomers, has led to the high purity of the catalog. As a result, this collection can be used as a training set for machine-learning classification algorithms. Using overlapping areas of adjacent OGLE fields, we estimate the completeness of the catalog to be about 96%. We compare and discuss the statistical features of Miras located in different regions of the Milky Way. We show examples of stars that change their type over time, from a semiregular variable to Mira and vice versa. This data set is perfectly suited to studying the three-dimensional structure of the Milky Way, and it may help to explain the puzzle of the X-shaped bulge

A three-dimensional map of the milky way using 66,000 mira variable stars

We study the three-dimensional structure of the Milky Way using 65,981 Mira variable stars discovered by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment survey. The spatial distribution of the Mira stars is analyzed with a model containing three barred components that include the X-shaped boxy component in the Galactic center (GC) and an axisymmetric disk. We take into account the distance uncertainties by implementing the Bayesian hierarchical inference method. The distance to the GC is R0 = 7.66 ± 0.01(stat.) ± 0.39(sys.) kpc, while the inclination of the major axis of the bulge to the Sun–GC line of sight is θ = 20fdg2 ± 0fdg6(stat.) ± 0fdg7(sys.). We present, for the first time, a detailed three-dimensional map of the Milky Way composed of young and intermediate-age stellar populations. Our analysis provides independent evidence for both the X-shaped bulge component and the flaring disk (being plausibly warped). We provide the complete data set of properties of Miras that were used for calculations in this work. The table includes mean brightness and amplitudes in nine photometric bands (covering a range of wavelengths from 0.5 to 12 μm), photometric chemical type, estimated extinction, and calculated distance with its uncertainty for each Mira variable. The median distance accuracy to a Mira star is at the level of 6.6%