Tip of the Red Giant Branch Distances. I. Optimization of a Maximum Likelihood Algorithm | Zendy

D. I. Makarov | Zendy; Л. Н. Макарова | Zendy; L. Rizzi | Zendy; R. Brent Tully | Zendy; Andrew E. Dolphin | Zendy; Shoko Sakai | Zendy; E. Shaya | Zendy

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Tip of the Red Giant Branch Distances. I. Optimization of a Maximum Likelihood Algorithm

Author(s) -

D. I. Makarov,

Л. Н. Макарова,

L. Rizzi,

R. Brent Tully,

Andrew E. Dolphin,

Shoko Sakai,

E. Shaya

Publication year - 2006

Publication title -

the astronomical journal

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.61

H-Index - 271

eISSN - 1538-3881

pISSN - 0004-6256

DOI - 10.1086/508925

Subject(s) - red giant branch , galaxy , physics , astrophysics , algorithm , hubble space telescope , monte carlo method , globular cluster , mathematics , statistics

Accurate distances to galaxies can be determined from the luminosities ofstars at the Tip of the Red Giant Branch (TRGB). We use a Maximum Likelihoodalgorithm to locate the TRGB in galaxy color-magnitude diagrams. The algorithmis optimized by introducing reliable photometric errors and a completenesscharacterization determined with artificial star experiments. The program isextensively tested using Monte-Carlo simulations, artificial galaxies, and asample of nearby dwarf galaxies observed with HST/WFPC2 and ACS. Our procedureis shown to be reliable, to have good accuracy, and to not introduce anysystematic errors. The methodology is especially useful in cases where the TRGBapproaches the photometric limit and/or the RGB is poorly populated.Comment: submitted to A

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