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| Paper: |
OVRO High Resoliution Imaging of Dense Molecular Clouds in the Central Three Parsecs of the Galaxy |
| Volume: |
290, Active Galactic Nuclei: from Central Engine to Host Galaxy |
| Page: |
389 |
| Authors: |
Christopher, M. H.; Scoville, N. Z. |
| Abstract: |
Using the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) millimeter array, we have obtained the highest spatial (3.3" x 2.4") and spectral resolution HCN maps of the galactic center region. The prominent molecular emission comes from the circumnuclear disk (CND), a ring-like structure surrounding the galactic center at an inner radius of 1-1.5 parsecs. The CND is not a smooth structure, but rather is comprised primarily of 10-20 high density clouds with characteristic sizes of 8-10". From our observations we deduce a typical H2 density within these clouds of a few x 106 cm-3, corresponding to approximately a thousand solar masses of molecular gas in each cloud. The densities within these clouds are not high enough to prevent tidal disruption in the gravitational field of the galactic center (comprising both the massive black hole and the stellar population interior to the CND). Comparing our observed molecular gas emission with the ionized gas emission as seen in the Paschen Alpha NICMOS map from Scoville et al. (2002), there is clear evidence for interplay between the ionized and molecular gas (e.g. the western arc in ionized gas is the photoionized edge of the CND and streamers within the CND spatially and kinematically connect with the Northern Arm of ionized gas). Examining the interaction of the molecular and ionized gas within the central parsecs of the galaxy sheds observational light on conditions near massive black holes, a critical tool for understanding AGN phenomenon. |
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