How do the random motion components typically compare between ancient, halo stars and younger stars concentrated in the galactic plane?
Stars born in the thick disk or halo tend to have significantly higher random motion components
Stellar populations within the Milky Way exhibit distinct kinematic signatures reflecting their origins and ages. Younger stars that formed relatively recently are typically concentrated in the thin galactic plane and generally move in more orderly, circular orbits around the galactic center. In contrast, ancient stars that reside in the thick disk or, especially, the halo, have experienced more gravitational interactions over cosmic time. This history results in these older populations possessing significantly higher random motion components, meaning their individual paths deviate much more substantially from the general rotational direction of the galaxy compared to their younger counterparts.
