Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 July 2015
The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is the closest large satellite of the Milky Way (MW) and the first step of the extragalactic distance scale, hence knowing the distance to the LMC and its three-dimensional structure contributes to the definition of the entire cosmic distance ladder. RR Lyrae stars are old objects which trace the halo of the LMC. They can be used as distance indicators because they follow a period-luminosity-metallicity (PLKsZ) relation in the Ks passband. The purpose of this study was the derivation of a new PLKsZ relation for RR Lyrae stars in the LMC based on the multi-epoch Ks photometry obtained by the VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds system (VMC, Cioni et al. 2011).