Near the minor axis of the Galactic bulge , at latitudes b < -5 ^ { \circ } , the red giant clump stars are split into two components along the line of sight .
We investigate this split using the three fields from the ARGOS survey that lie on the minor axis at ( l,b ) = ( 0 ^ { \circ } , -5 ^ { \circ } ) , ( 0 ^ { \circ } , -7.5 ^ { \circ } ) , ( 0 ^ { \circ } , -10 ^ { \circ } ) .
The separation is evident for stars with [ Fe/H ] > -0.5 in the two higher-latitude fields , but not in the field at b = -5 ^ { \circ } .
Stars with [ Fe/H ] < -0.5 do not show the split .
We compare the spatial distribution and kinematics of the clump stars with predictions from an evolutionary N-body model of a bulge that grew from a disk via bar-related instabilities .
The density distribution of the peanut-shaped model is depressed near its minor axis .
This produces a bimodal distribution of stars along the line of sight through the bulge near its minor axis , very much as seen in our observations .
The observed and modelled kinematics of the two groups of stars are also similar .
We conclude that the split red clump of the bulge is probably a generic feature of boxy/peanut bulges that grew from disks , and that the disk from which the bulge grew had relatively few stars with [ Fe/H ] < -0.5 .