Dirbe evidence for a warp in the Galaxy

Abstract

A large‐scale warp in the surface brightness distribution of the Galactic disk has been found in the data of the Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) of the Cosmic Background Explorer. In the far‐infrared it is seen in seen in thermal emission by dust. In the near‐infrared it is seen in starlight. The far‐infrared warp matches that of the velocity‐integrated HI. The near‐infrared warp has approximately the same orientation, but has a smaller amplitude, which increases with increasing wavelength. This is consistent with the stellar disk of the Galaxy being bent in the same way as the HI layer.