Molecular gas in Virgo cluster spiral galaxies

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7188309

Kenney, J D

CO(J = 1 ..-->.. O) observations with 45'' resolution at over 200 positions along the major axes of 42 Virgo cluster spiral galaxies were obtained using the FCRAO 14-meter telescope. Analyses indicate that for the Sa-Sb and highest-luminosity Sc Virgo galaxies, the molecular gas contents and distributions have not been strongly affected by the cluster environment. While it also may be that the conversion of H I into H/sub 2/ is enhanced in low-mass galaxies by an interaction with the intracluster medium these results strongly suggest that the attainment of an H/sub 2/-dominated ISM is a function of galaxy mass. These outer-cluster low-mass Virgo Sc galaxies have large massive star formation rates and high central H I surface densities, indicating that atomic gas plays a direct role in star formation in these systems. Galaxies that are H I-deficient by a factor of 10 are gas-deficient (H I + H/sub 2/) by only a factor of 2-3, due to the survival of large quantities of molecular gas. The massive-star formation rates, as indicated by H..cap alpha.., and far-infrared emission, are also lower by factors of approx. 2-3 in galaxies which are HI-deficient by a factor of 10.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Univ., Amherst (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7188309
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
GALAXY CLUSTERS
GASES
STAR EVOLUTION
BALMER LINES
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
HYDROGEN
LUMINOSITY
MOLECULES
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION
CONFIGURATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
INFRARED RADIATION
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies
640102 - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources