Orphan stream RR Lyrae and non-variables

The metallicity distribution for the identified red giant branch stars and blue horizontal branch stars is, on average, -2.13+/-0.05dex and -1.87+/-0.14dex, with dispersions of 0.23 and 0.43dex, respectively. The metallicity distribution of the RR Lyrae variables peaks at -1.80+/-0.06dex and a dispersion of 0.25dex. Using the collected stellar sample, we investigated a possible link between the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Grus II and the Orphan stream.

Based on their kinematics, we found that both the stream RR Lyrae and Grus II are on a prograde orbit with similar orbital properties, although the large uncertainties on the dynamical properties render an unambiguous claim of connection difficult. At the same time, the chemical analysis strongly weakens the connection between both. We argue that Grus II in combination with the Orphan stream would have to exhibit a strong inverse metallicity gradient, which to date has not been detected in any Local Group system.