Stellar streams in Andromeda (M31)

These spectroscopic results were initially serendipitous, making use of our existing observations from the DEep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph mounted on the Keck II telescope, and thereby emphasizing the ubiquity of tidal streams that account for ~70 per cent of the M31 halo stars in the targeted fields.

Subsequent spectroscopy was then procured in Stream "C" and Stream "D" to trace the velocity gradient along the streams. Nine metal-rich ([Fe/H]~-0.7) stars at v_hel_=-349.5km/s, {sigma}_v,corr_~5.1+/-2.5km/s are proposed as a serendipitous detection of Stream "Cr", with follow-up kinematic identification at a further point along the stream. Seven metal-poor ([Fe/H]~-1.3) stars confined to a narrow, 15km/s velocity bin centred at v_hel_=-285.6, {sigma}_v,corr_=4.3^+1.7^_-1.4_km/s represent a kinematic detection of Stream "Cp", again with follow-up kinematic identification further along the stream.