@article{92e7bd14846a46c282d95d70eee9a4f0,
title = "Distances to galactic high-velocity clouds: Complex C",
abstract = "We report the first determination of a distance bracket for the high-velocity cloud (HVC) complex C. Combined with previous measurements showing that this cloud has a metallicity of 0.15 times solar, these results provide ample evidence that complex C traces the continuing accretion of intergalactic gas falling onto the Milky Way. Accounting for both neutral and ionized hydrogen as well as He, the distance bracket implies a mass of (3-14) × 10 6 M⊙, and the complex represents a mass inflow of 0.1-0.25 M⊙ yr-1. We base our distance bracket on the detection of Ca ii absorption in the spectrum of the blue horizontal branch (BHB) star SDSS J120404.78+623345.6, in combination with a significant nondetection toward the BHB star BS 16034-0114. These results set a strong distance bracket of 3.7-11.2 kpc on the distance to complex C. A more weakly supported lower limit of 6.7 kpc may be derived from the spectrum of the BHB star BS 16079-0017.",
keywords = "Galaxy: evolution, Galaxy: general, Galaxy: halo, Galaxy: structure, ISM: clouds, Stars: distances",
author = "Wakker, \{B. P.\} and York, \{D. G.\} and Howk, \{J. C.\} and Barentine, \{J. C.\} and R. Wilhelm and Peletier, \{R. F.\} and \{Van Woerden\}, H. and Beers, \{T. C.\} and {\v Z} Ivezi{\'c} and P. Richter and Schwarz, \{U. J.\}",
year = "2007",
doi = "10.1086/524222",
language = "English",
volume = "670",
pages = "L113--L116",
number = "2 PART 2",
}