An Analytic Model for Stellar Metallicity Gradient Residuals in Cold, Phase-Mixed Galactic Disks

Abstract

The distribution of stellar metallicities over phase space in galactic disks is sculpted by both star formation and secular orbital transport processes. As a result, chemo-dynamical models that infer radial heating and migration histories from observations typically rely on sophisticated numerical modeling of stellar distribution functions, star formation histories, and various dynamical perturbations. Here, we develop a complementary minimal analytic model for constraining radial migration, using stellar metallicity residuals relative to overarching galactic metallicity gradients. Incorporating residuals imprinted during formation and produced dynamically, and assuming a cold, phase-mixed stellar disk, we derive a closed-form expression for the resulting residual distribution. Applying our model to observed [Fe/H] residuals for stars in the Galactic thin disk, we find the root-mean-square amplitude of radial migration for stars of age $τ$ to be $\langle (δR_\mathrm{g})^2 \rangle^{1/2} \approx (2.79 \pm 0.07)\,\mathrm{kpc} \times [τ/(6\,\mathrm{Gyr})]^{1/2}$, consistent with results derived from more complex numerical frameworks. Our results clarify the physical origins of covariances and degeneracies common across chemo-dynamical transport models, and demonstrate that metallicity residuals provide a flexible, interpretable probe of radial migration in galactic disks.