Metal-poor MS stars UBV photometry

From a subsample of 107 BMPs with available radial velocities we derive a galactic rotation of 128km/s and an isotropic velocity dispersion of {sigma}~90km/s, values intermediate between those of halo and thick-disk populations. From analysis of a larger sample of stars on 0.15<(B-V)0<0.35 binned by a crude line-blanketing parameter, we find that our results are insensitive to adopted BMP selection criteria: none of these subsamples of A- and early F-type stars above the galactic plane possess disk kinematics.

The region of the UBV two-color diagram occupied by BMPs could be populated by metal-deficient, main-sequence gravity stars with ages substantially younger than those of the metal-poor halo. Because we cannot imagine how or where the observed local population of BMPs could have been produced within our galaxy during the past 3 to 10Gyr, we suggest that BMPs are the bluest members of metal-poor intermediate-age main sequences accreted, probably, from dwarf spheroidal satellites of the Milky Way during the past 10Gyr.

We discuss observational consequences of this suggestion.