On the motion of the Local Group and its substructures

Abstract

The problem of the relative motion of the substructures of the Local Group of galaxies revealed via S-tree method, as well as of the velocity of the Local Group itself, is considered. The existence of statistically significant bulk flow of the Milky Way subsystem is shown via 3D reconstruction procedure, which uses the information on the radial velocities of the galaxies, but not on their distances. Once the bulk motion of substructures is estimated, in combination with the observed CMB dipole we also consider the mean velocity of the Local Group itself. Assigning the Local Group the mean motion of its main substructures we evaluate its peculiar velocity in Milky Way frame V(LG->MW)= (-7 \pm 303,-15 \pm 155 ,+177 \pm 144) or 178 km/s toward galactic coordinates l=245 and b=+85. Combined with CMB dipole V(MW->CMB), we obtain Local Group velocity in CMB frame: V(LG->CMB) = (-41\pm 303,-497\pm 155,445 \pm 144) or 668 km/s towards l=265 and b=42. This estimation is in good agreement, within 1 sigma level, with the estimation of Yahil et al (1977).Comment: To be published in MNRA