Carbon stars in the halo of the Magellanic Clouds:Identification and radial velocity data

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Abstract

We present the current status of our ongoing cool carbon star survey in the halo of the Magellanic Clouds. Candidate cool carbon stars were identified from APM measures of pairs of UK Schmidt Telescope BJ and R survey plates. Intermediate resolution spectroscopy on the duPont Telescope, Las Campanas, was used to simultaneously verify the nature of the candidates, late M-type giants or AGB carbon stars, and to derive their radial velocity. Coordinates, finding charts and radial velocity data for 392 spectroscopically identified cool carbon stars distributed out to angular distances of 10 degrees from the Cloud optical centres are given. Radial velocities were also obtained for 133 known carbon stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud, in the inter-Cloud region, in the wing of the Small Magellanic Cloud and in a few SMC star clusters. These intermediate-age carbon stars define ideal kinematic test particles to investigate recent dynamical interactions between the Galaxy-LMC-SMC system and in particular the origin of the morphological disturbances seen in the SMC and parts of the LMC, the origin of the Magellanic Stream and the total mass of the LMC.

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