Thick disk kinematics from RAVE and the solar motion

Abstract

We present a method to derive kinematic parameters for the Galactic thick disk based on stellar radial velocity data alone, without previous knowledge of distances. The prospects and limitations of this method are then explored with the aid of photometric distances. We introduce selection criteria in order to clean the observed radial velocities from the Galactic differential rotation and to take into account the partial sky coverage of RAVE. We deduce the components of the Solar motion relative to the Local Standard of Rest (LSR) in the radial and vertical directions as well as the components of the velocity dispersion tensor. The results extend the analysis already started on the velocity distribution function of the thin and thick disk with RAVE data.