{"paper":{"title":"On the Microlensing Optical Depth of the Galactic Bar","license":"","headline":"","cross_cats":[],"primary_cat":"astro-ph","authors_text":"Hongsheng Zhao, Shude Mao (MPA-Garching)","submitted_at":"1996-05-07T22:26:58Z","abstract_excerpt":"The microlensing probability (optical depth $\\tau$) toward the Galactic center carries information about the mass distribution of the Galactic bulge/bar, so can be used to constrain the very uncertain shape parameters of the bar. We find $tau$ depends on the bar mass, radial profile, angle, axis scale lengths and boxyness by a few simple analytical formulae, which shows: (1) $\\tau$ is proportional to the mass of the bar, $M$. (2) $\\tau$ falls along the minor axis with a strong gradient. (3) An oblate bulge can have more optical depth than a triaxial bar if the bar angle $\\alpha>45$ degress. (4"},"claims":{"count":0,"items":[],"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"source":{"id":"astro-ph/9605030","kind":"arxiv","version":1},"verdict":{"id":null,"model_set":{},"created_at":null,"strongest_claim":"","one_line_summary":"","pipeline_version":null,"weakest_assumption":"","pith_extraction_headline":""},"references":{"count":0,"sample":[],"resolved_work":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57","internal_anchors":0},"formal_canon":{"evidence_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"author_claims":{"count":0,"strong_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"builder_version":"pith-number-builder-2026-05-17-v1"}