Parallax-based Distances to Galactic Hii Regions: Nearby Spiral Structure

Abstract

The spiral structure of the Milky Way is not conclusive, even for the disc regions in the solar neighbourhood. Especially, the arm-like structures uncovered from the over-density maps of evolved stars are inconsistent with the commonly adopted spiral arm models based on young objects. We aim to re-examine the arm segments traced by young objects and better understand the nearby spiral structure. We identify the exciting stars of 459 hii regions and calculate their parallax-based distances according to the Gaia DR3. Together with other hii regions with spectrophotometric or parallax-based distances in literature, the largest ever sample of 572 hii regions with accurate distances is used to reveal the features shown in their distributions projected onto the Galactic disc. The results are then compared to the features traced by other young objects (high-mass star-forming region masers, O-type stars, and young open clusters) and evolved stars. The structures outlined by different kinds of young objects do not exhibit significant deviation from each other. The distributions of young objects are in agreement with three arm-like features emerging in the over-density map of evolved stars. Especially, the Local Arm outlined by young objects follows an arm-like feature delineated by evolved stars and probably spirals outwards towards the direction of $\ell \sim 240^\circ$ in the third Galactic quadrant. We conclude that the arm segments traced by young objects and evolved stars are consistent with each other at least in the solar neighbourhood. In particular, the Local Arm delineated by young objects is reinterpreted as an arm segment with a large pitch angle of $25.2^\circ \pm 2.0^\circ$, whose inner edge is in good agreement with the recently discovered Radcliffe Wave.