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Recent works have used a linear birth metallicity gradient to estimate the evolution of the [Fe/H] profile in the Galactic disk over time, and infer stellar birth radii (R$_\text{birth}$) from [Fe/H] and age measurements. These estimates rely on the evolution of [Fe/H] at the Galactic center ([Fe/H](0, $\tau$)) and the birth metallicity gradient ($\nabla$[Fe/H]($\tau)$) over time -- quantities that are unknown and inferred under key assumptions. In this work, we use the sample of Milky Way/Andromeda analogues from the TNG50 simulation to investigate the ability to recover [Fe/H](R, $\tau$) and R$_\text{birth}$ in a variety of galaxies. Using stellar disk particles, we test the assumptions required in estimating R$_\text{birth}$, [Fe/H](0, $\tau$), and $\nabla$[Fe/H]($\tau)$ using recently proposed methods to understand when they are valid. We show that $\nabla$[Fe/H]($\tau)$ can be recovered in most galaxies to within 26% from the range in [Fe/H] across age, with better accuracy for more massive and stronger barred galaxies. We also find that the true central metallicity is unrepresentative of the genuine disk [Fe/H] profile; thus we propose to use a projected central metallicity instead. About half of the galaxies in our sample do not have a continuously enriching projected central metallicity, with a dilution in [Fe/H] correlating with mergers. Most importantly, galaxy-specific [Fe/H](R, $\tau$) can be constrained and confirmed by requiring the R$_\text{birth}$ distributions of mono-age, solar neighborhood populations to follow inside-out formation. We conclude that examining trends with R$_\text{birth}$ is valid for the Milky Way disk and similarly structured galaxies, where we expect R$_\text{birth}$ can be recovered to within 20% assuming today's measurement uncertainties in TNG50., Comment: Version accepted at A&A

We use numerical simulations to model Gaia DR3 data with the aim of constraining the Milky Way bar and spiral structure parameters. We show that both the morphology and the velocity field in Milky Way-like galactic disc models are strong functions of time, changing dramatically over a few tens of Myr. This suggests that by finding a good match to the observed radial velocity field, v_R(x,y), we can constrain the bar-spiral orientation. Incorporating uncertainties into our models is necessary to match the data; most importantly, a heliocentric distance uncertainty above 10-15% distorts the bar's shape and v_R quadrupole pattern morphology, and decreases its apparent angle with respect to the Sun-Galactocentric line. An excellent match to the Gaia DR3 v_R(x,y) field is found for a simulation with a bar length R_b\approx3.6 kpc. We argue that the data are consistent with a MW bar as short as ~3 kpc, for moderate strength inner disc spiral structure (A_2/A_0\approx0.25) or, alternatively, with a bar length up to ~5.2 kpc, provided that spiral arms are quite weak (A_2/A_0\approx0.1), and is most likely in the process of disconnecting from a spiral arm. We demonstrate that the bar angle and distance uncertainty can similarly affect the match between our models and the data - a smaller bar angle (20 deg instead of 30 deg) requires smaller distance uncertainty (20% instead of 30%) to explain the observations. Fourier components of the face-on density distribution of our models suggest that the MW does not have strong m=1 and/or m=3 spirals near the solar radius., Comment: 17p, 12 figs. Accepted to MNRAS on Dec 22, 2023

With its origin coming from several sources (Big Bang, stars, cosmic rays) and given its strong depletion during its stellar lifetime, the lithium element is of great interest as its chemical evolution in the Milky Way is not well understood at present. To help constrain stellar and galactic chemical evolution models, numerous and precise lithium abundances are necessary for a large range of evolutionary stages, metallicities, and Galactic volume. In the age of stellar parametrization on industrial scales, spectroscopic surveys such as APOGEE, GALAH, RAVE, and LAMOST have used data-driven methods to rapidly and precisely infer stellar labels (atmospheric parameters and abundances). To prepare the ground for future spectroscopic surveys such as 4MOST and WEAVE, we aim to apply machine learning techniques to lithium measurements and analyses. We trained a convolution neural network (CNN), coupling Gaia-ESO Survey iDR6 stellar labels (Teff, log(g), [Fe/H], and A(Li)) and GIRAFFE HR15N spectra, to infer the atm parameters and lithium abundances for ~40,000 stars. We show that the CNN properly learns the physics of the stellar labels, from relevant spectral features through a broad range of evolutionary stages and stellar parameters. The Li feature at 6707.8 A is successfully singled out by our CNN, among the thousands of lines. Rare objects such as Li-rich giants are found in our sample. This level of performance is achieved thanks to a meticulously built, high-quality, and homogeneous training sample. The CNN approach is very well adapted for the next generations of spectroscopic surveys aimed at studying (among other elements) lithium, such as the 4MIDABLE-LR/HR (4MOST Milky Way disk and bulge low- and high-resolution) surveys. In this context, the caveats of ML applications should be appropriately investigated, along with the realistic label uncertainties and upper limits for abundances., Comment: A&A, accepted 05 December 2022, 23 pages, 23 figures. Codes and trained models available at https://github.com/SamirNepal/Li\_CNN\_2022

Large multi-object spectroscopic surveys require automated algorithms to optimise their observing strategy. One of the most ambitious upcoming spectroscopic surveys is the 4MOST survey. The 4MOST survey facility is a fibre-fed spectroscopic instrument on the VISTA telescope with a large enough field of view to survey a large fraction of the southern sky within a few years. Several Galactic and extragalactic surveys will be carried out simultaneously, so the combined target density will strongly vary. In this paper, we describe a new tiling algorithm that can naturally deal with the large target density variations on the sky and which automatically handles the different exposure times of targets. The tiling pattern is modelled as a marked point process, which is characterised by a probability density that integrates the requirements imposed by the 4MOST survey. The optimal tilling pattern with respect to the defined model is estimated by the tiles configuration that maximises the proposed probability density. In order to achieve this maximisation a simulated annealing algorithm is implemented. The algorithm automatically finds an optimal tiling pattern and assigns a tentative sky brightness condition and exposure time for each tile, while minimising the total execution time that is needed to observe the list of targets in the combined input catalogue of all surveys. Hence, the algorithm maximises the long-term observing efficiency and provides an optimal tiling solution for the survey. While designed for the 4MOST survey, the algorithm is flexible and can with simple modifications be applied to any other multi-object spectroscopic survey., Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, submitted to MNRAS

We study the late-time evolution of the central regions of two Milky Way-like simulations of galaxies formed in a cosmological context, one hosting a fast bar and the other a slow one. We find that bar length, R_b, measurements fluctuate on a dynamical timescale by up to 100%, depending on the spiral structure strength and measurement threshold. The bar amplitude oscillates by about 15%, correlating with R_b. The Tremaine-Weinberg-method estimates of the bars' instantaneous pattern speeds show variations around the mean of up to ~20%, typically anti-correlating with the bar length and strength. Through power spectrum analyses, we establish that these bar pulsations, with a period in the range ~60-200 Myr, result from its interaction with multiple spiral modes, which are coupled with the bar. Because of the presence of odd spiral modes, the two bar halves typically do not connect at exactly the same time to a spiral arm, and their individual lengths can be significantly offset. We estimated that in about 50% of bar measurements in Milky Way-mass external galaxies, the bar lengths of SBab type galaxies are overestimated by ~15% and those of SBbc types by ~55%. Consequently, bars longer than their corotation radius reported in the literature, dubbed "ultra-fast bars", may simply correspond to the largest biases. Given that the Scutum-Centaurus arm is likely connected to the near half of the Milky Way bar, recent direct measurements may be overestimating its length by 1-1.5 kpc, while its present pattern speed may be 5-10 km/s/kpc smaller than its time-averaged value., Comment: 25 p., 19 figures, Accepted to MNRAS

Context. Several new multi-object spectrographs are currently planned or under construction that are capable of observing thousands of Galactic and extragalactic objects simultaneously. Aims. In this paper we present a probabilistic fibre-to-target assignment algorithm that takes spectrograph targeting constraints into account and is capable of dealing with multiple concurrent surveys. We present this algorithm using the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST) as an example. Methods. The key idea of the proposed algorithm is to assign probabilities to fibre-target pairs. The assignment of probabilities takes the fibre positioner's capabilities and constraints into account. Additionally, these probabilities include requirements from surveys and take the required exposure time, number density variation, and angular clustering of targets across each survey into account. The main advantage of a probabilistic approach is that it allows for accurate and easy computation of the target selection function for the different surveys, which involves determining the probability of observing a target, given an input catalogue. Results. The probabilistic fibre-to-target assignment allows us to achieve maximally uniform completeness within a single field of view. The proposed algorithm maximises the fraction of successfully observed targets whilst minimising the selection bias as a function of exposure time. In the case of several concurrent surveys, the algorithm maximally satisfies the scientific requirements of each survey and no specific survey is penalised or prioritised. Conclusions. The algorithm presented is a proposed solution for the 4MOST project that allows for an unbiased targeting of many simultaneous surveys. With some modifications, the algorithm may also be applied to other multi-object spectroscopic surveys., Comment: 19 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

Combining the precise parallaxes and optical photometry delivered by Gaia's second data release (Gaia DR2) with the photometric catalogues of PanSTARRS-1, 2MASS, and AllWISE, we derive Bayesian stellar parameters, distances, and extinctions for 265 million stars brighter than G=18. Because of the wide wavelength range used, our results substantially improve the accuracy and precision of previous extinction and effective temperature estimates. After cleaning our results for both unreliable input and output data, we retain 137 million stars, for which we achieve a median precision of 5% in distance, 0.20 mag in V-band extinction, and 245 K in effective temperature for G<14, degrading towards fainter magnitudes (12%, 0.20 mag, and 245 K at G=16; 16%, 0.23 mag, and 260 K at G=17, respectively). We find a very good agreement with the asteroseismic surface gravities and distances of 7000 stars in the Kepler, the K2-C3, and the K2-C6 fields, with stellar parameters from the APOGEE survey, as well as with distances to star clusters. Our results are available through the ADQL query interface of the Gaia mirror at the Leibniz-Institut f\"{u}r Astrophysik Potsdam (gaia.aip.de) and as binary tables at data.aip.de. As a first application, in this paper we provide distance- and extinction-corrected colour-magnitude diagrams, extinction maps as a function of distance, and extensive density maps, demonstrating the potential of our value-added dataset for mapping the three-dimensional structure of our Galaxy. In particular, we see a clear manifestation of the Galactic bar in the stellar density distributions, an observation that can almost be considered a direct imaging of the Galactic bar., Comment: 25 pages, 23 figures + appendix, accepted for publication in A&A. Data (doi:10.17876/gaia/dr.2/51) are available through ADQL queries at gaia.aip.de

We introduce the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST), a new high-multiplex, wide-field spectroscopic survey facility under development for the four-metre-class Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) at Paranal. Its key specifications are: a large field of view (FoV) of 4.2 square degrees and a high multiplex capability, with 1624 fibres feeding two low-resolution spectrographs ($R = \lambda/\Delta\lambda \sim 6500$), and 812 fibres transferring light to the high-resolution spectrograph ($R \sim 20\,000$). After a description of the instrument and its expected performance, a short overview is given of its operational scheme and planned 4MOST Consortium science; these aspects are covered in more detail in other articles in this edition of The Messenger. Finally, the processes, schedules, and policies concerning the selection of ESO Community Surveys are presented, commencing with a singular opportunity to submit Letters of Intent for Public Surveys during the first five years of 4MOST operations., Comment: Part of the 4MOST issue of The Messenger, published in preparation of 4MOST Community Workshop, see http://www.eso.org/sci/meetings/2019/4MOST.html

The current status of and motivation for the 4MOST Survey Strategy, as developed by the Consortium science team, are presented here. Key elements of the strategy are described, such as sky coverage, number of visits and total exposure times in different parts of the sky, and how to deal with different observing conditions. The task of organising the strategy is not simple, with many different surveys that have vastly different target brightnesses and densities, sample completeness levels, and signal-to-noise requirements. We introduce here a number of concepts that we will use to ensure all surveys are optimised. Astronomers who are planning to submit a Participating Survey proposal are strongly encouraged to read this article and any relevant 4MOST Survey articles in this issue of The Messenger such that they can optimally complement and benefit from the planned surveys of the 4MOST Consortium., Comment: Part of the 4MOST issue of The Messenger, published in preparation of 4MOST Community Workshop, see http://www.eso.org/sci/meetings/2019/4MOST.html

The 4MOST instrument is a multi-object spectrograph that will address Galactic and extragalactic science cases simultaneously by observing targets from a large number of different surveys within each science exposure. This parallel mode of operation and the survey nature of 4MOST require some distinct 4MOST-specific operational features within the overall operations model of ESO. The main feature is that the 4MOST Consortium will deliver, not only the instrument, but also contractual services to the user community, which is why 4MOST is also described as a facility. This white paper concentrates on information particularly useful to answering the forthcoming Call for Letters of Intent., Comment: Part of the 4MOST issue of The Messenger, published in preparation of 4MOST Community Workshop, see http://www.eso.org/sci/meetings/2019/4MOST.html

We present a semi-empirical, largely model-independent approach for estimating Galactic birth radii, r_birth, for Milky Way disk stars. The technique relies on the justifiable assumption that a negative radial metallicity gradient in the interstellar medium (ISM) existed for most of the disk lifetime. Stars are projected back to their birth positions according to the observationally derived age and [Fe/H] with no kinematical information required. Applying our approach to the AMBRE:HARPS and HARPS-GTO local samples, we show that we can constrain the ISM metallicity evolution with Galactic radius and cosmic time, [Fe/H]_ISM(r, t), by requiring a physically meaningful r_birth distribution. We find that the data are consistent with an ISM radial metallicity gradient that flattens with time from ~-0.15 dex/kpc at the beginning of disk formation, to its measured present-day value (-0.07 dex/kpc). We present several chemo-kinematical relations in terms of mono-r_birth populations. One remarkable result is that the kinematically hottest stars would have been born locally or in the outer disk, consistent with thick disk formation from the nested flares of mono-age populations and predictions from cosmological simulations. This phenomenon can be also seen in the observed age-velocity dispersion relation, in that its upper boundary is dominated by stars born at larger radii. We also find that the flatness of the local age-metallicity relation (AMR) is the result of the superposition of the AMRs of mono-r_birth populations, each with a well-defined negative slope. The solar birth radius is estimated to be 7.3+-0.6 kpc, for a current Galactocentric radius of 8 kpc., Comment: 14 p., 9 fig., Accepted for publication by MNRAS after minor revisions

4MOST is a new wide-field, high-multiplex spectroscopic survey facility for the VISTA telescope of ESO. Starting in 2022, 4MOST will deploy more than 2400 fibres in a 4.1 square degree field-of-view using a positioner based on the tilting spine principle. In this ontribution we give an outline of the major science goals we wish to achieve with 4MOST in the area of Galactic Archeology. The 4MOST Galactic Archeology surveys have been designed to address long-standing and far-reaching problems in Galactic science. They are focused on our major themes: 1) Near-field cosmology tests, 2) Chemo-dynamical characterisation of the major Milky Way stellar components, 3) The Galactic Halo and beyond, and 4) Discovery and characterisation of extremely metal-poor stars. In addition to a top-level description of the Galactic surveys we provide information about how the community will be able to join 4MOST via a call for Public Spectroscopic Surveys that ESO will launch., Comment: To be published in "Rediscovering our Galaxy", IAU Symposium 334, Eds. C. Chiappini, I. Minchev, E. Starkenburg, M. Valentini

Deciphering the assembly history of the Milky Way is a formidable task, which becomes possible only if one can produce high-resolution chrono-chemo-kinematical maps of the Galaxy. Data from large-scale astrometric and spectroscopic surveys will soon provide us with a well-defined view of the current chemo-kinematical structure of the Milky Way, but will only enable a blurred view on the temporal sequence that led to the present-day Galaxy. As demonstrated by the (ongoing) exploitation of data from the pioneering photometric missions CoRoT, Kepler, and K2, asteroseismology provides the way forward: solar-like oscillating giants are excellent evolutionary clocks thanks to the availability of seismic constraints on their mass and to the tight age-initial-mass relation they adhere to. In this paper we identify five key outstanding questions relating to the formation and evolution of the Milky Way that will need precise and accurate ages for large samples of stars to be addressed, and we identify the requirements in terms of number of targets and the precision on the stellar properties that are needed to tackle such questions. By quantifying the asteroseismic yields expected from PLATO for red-giant stars, we demonstrate that these requirements are within the capabilities of the current instrument design, provided that observations are sufficiently long to identify the evolutionary state and allow robust and precise determination of acoustic-mode frequencies. This will allow us to harvest data of sufficient quality to reach a 10% precision in age. This is a fundamental pre-requisite to then reach the more ambitious goal of a similar level of accuracy, which will only be possible if we have to hand a careful appraisal of systematic uncertainties on age deriving from our limited understanding of stellar physics, a goal which conveniently falls within the main aims of PLATO's core science., Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomical Notes

The breaks and truncations in the luminosity profile of face-on spiral galaxies offer valuable insights in their formation history. The traditional method of deriving the surface photometry profile for face-on galaxies is to use elliptical averaging. In this paper, we explore the question whether elliptical averaging is the best way to do this. We apply two additional surface photometry methods, one new: principle axis summation, and one old that has become seldom used: equivalent profiles. These are compared to elliptically averaged profiles using a set of 29 face-on galaxies. We find that the equivalent profiles match extremely well with elliptically averaged profiles, confirming the validity of using elliptical averaging. The principle axis summation offers a better comparison to edge-on galaxies., Comment: Accepted for publication by Monthly Notices of the R.A.S. A hi-res version is available at http://www.astro.rug.nl/~vdkruit/Petersetal-VI.pdf

Studying the Milky Way disk structure using stars in narrow bins of [Fe/H] and [alpha/Fe] has recently been proposed as a powerful method to understand the Galactic thick and thin disk formation. It has been assumed so far that these mono-abundance populations (MAPs) are also coeval, or mono-age, populations. Here we study this relationship for a Milky Way chemo-dynamical model and show that equivalence between MAPs and mono-age populations exists only for the high-[alpha/Fe] tail, where the chemical evolution curves of different Galactic radii are far apart. At lower [alpha/Fe]-values a MAP is composed of stars with a range in ages, even for small observational uncertainties and a small MAP bin size. Due to the disk inside-out formation, for these MAPs younger stars are typically located at larger radii, which results in negative radial age gradients that can be as large as 2 Gyr/kpc. Positive radial age gradients can result for MAPs at the lowest [alpha/Fe] and highest [Fe/H] end. Such variations with age prevent the simple interpretation of observations for which accurate ages are not available. Studying the variation with radius of the stellar surface density and scale-height in our model, we find good agreement to recent analyses of the APOGEE red-clump (RC) sample when 1-4 Gyr old stars dominate (as expected for the RC). Our results suggest that the APOGEE data are consistent with a Milky Way model for which mono-age populations flare for all ages. We propose observational tests for the validity of our predictions and argue that using accurate age measurements, such as from asteroseismology, is crucial for putting constraints on the Galactic formation and evolution., Comment: 8 p., 8 fig., replaced with accepted version (minor changes)

The past decade and a half has seen the design and execution of several ground-based spectroscopic surveys, both Galactic and Extra-galactic. Additionally, new surveys are being designed that extend the boundaries of current surveys. In this context, many important considerations must be done when designing a spectrograph for the future. Among these is the determination of the optimum wavelength coverage. In this work, we present a new code for determining the wavelength ranges that provide the optimal amount of information to achieve the required science goals for a given survey. In its first mode, it utilizes a user-defined list of spectral features to compute a figure-of-merit for different spectral configurations. The second mode utilizes a set of flux-calibrated spectra, determining the spectral regions that show the largest differences among the spectra. Our algorithm is easily adaptable for any set of science requirements and any spectrograph design. We apply the algorithm to several examples, including 4MOST, showing the method yields important design constraints to the wavelength regions., Comment: 27 pages, 4 figures, accepted to MNRAS

We present post-cryogenic Spitzer imaging at 3.6 and 4.5 micron with the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) of the Spitzer/HETDEX Exploratory Large-Area (SHELA) survey. SHELA covers $\sim$deg$^2$ of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey "Stripe 82" region, and falls within the footprints of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) and the Dark Energy Survey. The HETDEX blind R $\sim$ 800 spectroscopy will produce $\sim$ 200,000 redshifts from the Lyman-$\alpha$ emission for galaxies in the range 1.9 < z < 3.5, and an additional $\sim$200,000 redshifts from the [OII] emission for galaxies at z < 0.5. When combined with deep ugriz images from the Dark Energy Camera, K-band images from NEWFIRM, and other ancillary data, the IRAC photometry from Spitzer will enable a broad range of scientific studies of the relationship between structure formation, galaxy stellar mass, halo mass, AGN, and environment over a co-moving volume of $\sim$0.5 Gpc$^3$ at 1.9 < z < 3.5. Here, we discuss the properties of the SHELA IRAC dataset, including the data acquisition, reduction, validation, and source catalogs. Our tests show the images and catalogs are 80% (50%) complete to limiting magnitudes of 22.0 (22.6) AB mag in the detection image, which is constructed from the weighted sum of the IRAC 3.6 and 4.5 micron images. The catalogs reach limiting sensitivities of 1.1 $\mu$Jy at both 3.6 and 4.5 micron (1$\sigma$, for R=2 arcsec circular apertures). As a demonstration of science, we present IRAC number counts, examples of highly temporally variable sources, and galaxy surface density profiles of rich galaxy clusters. In the spirit of Spitzer Exploratory programs we provide all images and catalogs as part of the publication., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJS. 30 pages, emulateapj format. Many figures. All data products, including images and catalogs available http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/data/SPITZER/SHELA

From stellar spectra, a variety of physical properties of stars can be derived. In particular, the chemical composition of stellar atmospheres can be inferred from absorption line analyses. These provide key information on large scales, such as the formation of our Galaxy, down to the small-scale nucleosynthesis processes that take place in stars and supernovae. By extending the observed wavelength range toward bluer wavelengths, we optimize such studies to also include critical absorption lines in metal-poor stars, and allow for studies of heavy elements (Z>38) whose formation processes remain poorly constrained. In this context, spectrographs optimized for observing blue wavelength ranges are essential, since many absorption lines at redder wavelengths are too weak to be detected in metal-poor stars. This means that some elements cannot be studied in the visual-redder regions, and important scientific tracers and science cases are lost. The present era of large public surveys will target millions of stars. Here we describe the requirements driving the design of the forthcoming survey instrument 4MOST, a multi-object spectrograph commissioned for the ESO VISTA 4m-telescope. We focus here on high-density, wide-area survey of stars and the science that can be achieved with high-resolution stellar spectroscopy. Scientific and technical requirements that governed the design are described along with a thorough line blending analysis. For the high-resolution spectrograph, we find that a sampling of >2.5 (pixels per resolving element), spectral resolution of 18000 or higher, and a wavelength range covering 393-436 nm, is the most well-balanced solution for the instrument. A spectrograph with these characteristics will enable accurate abundance analysis (+/-0.1 dex) in the blue and allow us to confront the outlined scientific questions. (abridged), Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in AN

Recent spectroscopic observations in the Milky Way suggest that the chemically defined thick disk (stars with high [alpha/Fe] ratios and thus old) has a significantly smaller scale-length than the thin disk. This is in apparent contradiction with observations of external edge-on galaxies, where the thin and thick components have comparable scale-lengths. Moreover, while observed disks do not flare (scale-height does not increase with radius), numerical simulations suggest that disk flaring is unavoidable, resulting from both environmental effects and secular evolution. Here we address these problems by studying two different suites of simulated galactic disks formed in the cosmological context. We show that the scale-heights of coeval populations always increase with radius. However, the total population can be decomposed morphologically into thin and thick disks, which do not flare. We relate this to the disk inside-out formation, where younger populations have increasingly larger scale-lengths and flare at progressively larger radii. In this new picture, thick disks are composed of the imbedded flares of mono-age stellar populations. Assuming that disks form inside out, we predict that morphologically defined thick disks must show a decrease in age (or [alpha/Fe] ratios) with radius and that coeval populations should always flare. This also explains the observed inversion in the metallicity and [alpha/Fe] gradients for stars away from the disk midplane in the Milky Way. The results of this work are directly linked to, and can be seen as evidence of, inside-out disk growth., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

NICMOS 2 observations are crucial for constraining distances to most of the existing sample of z > 1 SNe Ia. Unlike the conventional calibration programs, these observations involve long exposure times and low count rates. Reciprocity failure is known to exist in HgCdTe devices and a correction for this effect has already been implemented for high and medium count-rates. However observations at faint count-rates rely on extrapolations. Here instead, we provide a new zeropoint calibration directly applicable to faint sources. This is obtained via inter-calibration of NIC2 F110W/F160W with WFC3 in the low count-rate regime using z ~ 1 elliptical galaxies as tertiary calibrators. These objects have relatively simple near-IR SEDs, uniform colors, and their extended nature gives superior signal-to-noise at the same count rate than would stars. The use of extended objects also allows greater tolerances on PSF profiles. We find ST magnitude zeropoints (after the installation of the NICMOS cooling system, NCS) of 25.296 +- 0.022 for F110W and 25.803 +- 0.023 for F160W, both in agreement with the calibration extrapolated from count-rates 1,000 times larger (25.262 and 25.799). Before the installation of the NCS, we find 24.843 +- 0.025 for F110W and 25.498 +- 0.021 for F160W, also in agreement with the high-count-rate calibration (24.815 and 25.470). We also check the standard bandpasses of WFC3 and NICMOS 2 using a range of stars and galaxies at different colors and find mild tension for WFC3, limiting the accuracy of the zeropoints. To avoid human bias, our cross-calibration was "blinded" in that the fitted zeropoint differences were hidden until the analysis was finalized., Comment: Accepted for Publication in the Astronomical Journal. New version contains added reference

The velocity dispersions of stars near the Sun are known to increase with stellar age, but age can be difficult to determine so a proxy like the abundance of alpha elements (e.g., Mg) with respect to iron, [alpha/Fe], is used. Here we report an unexpected behavior found in the velocity dispersion of a sample of giant stars from the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey with high quality chemical and kinematical information, in that it decreases strongly for stars with [Mg/Fe] > 0.4 dex (i.e., those that formed in the first Gyr of the Galaxy's life). These findings can be explained by perturbations from massive mergers in the early Universe, which have affected more strongly the outer parts of the disc, and the subsequent radial migration of stars with cooler kinematics from the inner disc. Similar reversed trends in velocity dispersion are also found for different metallicity subpopulations. Our results suggest that the Milky Way disc merger history can be recovered by relating the observed chemo-kinematic relations to the properties of past merger events., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, Accepted to ApJL. Interpretation section expanded, different Fig.5, typos corrected, references added. Conclusions unchanged