THE GALACTIC CENTER: NOT AN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/206/2/20· OSTI ID:22118757

An, Deokkeun ^[1]; Ramirez, Solange V. ^[2]; Sellgren, Kris ^[3]

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1. Department of Science Education, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750 (Korea, Republic of)
2. NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, California Institute of Technology, Mail Stop 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
3. Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)

We present 10 {mu}m-35 {mu}m Spitzer spectra of the interstellar medium in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), the central 210 pc Multiplication-Sign 60 pc of the Galactic center (GC). We present maps of the CMZ in ionic and H{sub 2} emission, covering a more extensive area than earlier spectroscopic surveys in this region. The radial velocities and intensities of ionic lines and H{sub 2} suggest that most of the H{sub 2} 0-0 S(0) emission comes from gas along the line-of-sight, as found by previous work. We compare diagnostic line ratios measured in the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey to our data. Previous work shows that forbidden line ratios can distinguish star-forming galaxies from low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Our GC line ratios agree with star-forming galaxies and not with LINERs or AGNs.

• OSTI ID: 22118757
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 206; ISSN 0067-0049; ISSN APJSA2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EMISSION SPECTRA
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
HYDROGEN
ION EMISSION
MOLECULES
RADIAL VELOCITY
STARS