Stellar Debris Streams: New Probes of Galactic Structure and Formation

Abstract

Stellar debris streams provide us with a powerful new means of probing the three-dimensional structure and evolution of the Galaxy. Fourteen "distant" halo streams have been discovered to date, and by their length and continuity, they demonstrate that such streams are long-lived structures. Being relatively nearby, we can accurately measure the positions and motions of individual stars in these streams and use them to construct a history of past accretion events and of the underlying potential field in which they orbit. We briefly discuss these streams and the insights they have given us to date. With the capabilities of new facilities coming on line or in development, we can look forward to an era of continued discovery and a much more detailed understanding of galactic structure and formation.

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