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| Paper: |
Gas Dynamics in the Central Kiloparsec of Two Barred Spiral Galaxies |
| Volume: |
290, Active Galactic Nuclei: from Central Engine to Host Galaxy |
| Page: |
545 |
| Authors: |
Schinnerer, E.; Maciejewski, W.; Scoville, N. Z.; Moustakas, L. A.; Böker, T. |
| Abstract: |
We report on the molecular gas properties in the central kilo-parsec of the almost face-on double barred Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 4303 (M 61), using the CO(1-0) line emission observed with the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) millimeter interferometer. The bulk of the molecular line emission comes from two straight gas lanes which run north-south along the leading side of the large-scale primary bar. Velocity deviations of up to 90 km/s from the mean rotational velocity are associated with these gas lanes. Inside a radius of about 5''(400 pc) the molecular gas forms a spiral pattern which, for the northern arm, can be traced to the nucleus. The southern gas spiral arm is very likely disturbed by the impact of the massive star formation seen in the UV continuum. The high angular resolution of our OVRO data (2'' = 150 pc), accompanied by the archival HST images, allows for a comparison against dynamical models of gas flow in the inner kilo-parsec of single- and double-barred galaxies. We find that the overall properties of the molecular gas are in agreement with models for the gas flow in strong bars, and the spiral structure in the inner kilo-parsec can be due to a gas wave initiated by the potential of the primary bar. As the inner bar is much smaller than the distance between the two gas lanes, its presence may not inhibit the nuclear spiral seen in CO, but the starburst ring seen in UV is consistent with models of double bars. |
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