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| Paper: |
Dust and Gas in the Nucleus of NGC 1068:
Comparison to the Galactic Center's Central Molecular Zone |
| Volume: |
439, The Galactic Center: a Window to the Nuclear Environment of Disk Galaxies |
| Page: |
483 |
| Authors: |
Geballe, T. R.; Mason, R. E.; Oka, T. |
| Abstract: |
We report new 3–5-μm spectroscopy of the nucleus of NGC 1068,
obtained at 0.3″ resolution (corresponding to 20 pc at the distance
of NGC 1068), sufficient to partially resolve the continuum peak. The
data yield a strong upper limit on the column density of CO, as well as
evidence that the 3.4-μm hydrocarbon absorption feature has a
similar distribution across the nuclear infrared continuum emission as
the previously studied 9.7-μm silicate absorption. Together these
imply that at 3–10μm the bulk of the gas in front of the continuum
peak has the properties of Galactic diffuse molecular clouds rather than
dense clouds. This nuclear environment in NGC 1068 resembles the central
molecular zone of the Galaxy. |
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