Detection of local interstellar CO absorption toward BL Lacertae

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Astrophysical Journal; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/186006· OSTI ID:5469213

Marscher, A P; Bania, T M; Wang, Zhong ^[1]

---

1. Boston University, MA (USA) California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (USA)

The J = O - 1 line of (C-12)O in absorption toward the compact extragalactic continuum source BL Lacertae. The absorption originates in a high-latitude molecular cloud in our Galaxy. The line is nearly black over a velocity range of 1.8 km/s, with total width comparable to that of the emission line. If the cloud is composed of many dense, optically thick clumps, with each clump absorbing over a velocity interval equal to the CO thermal velocity, it is estimated that about 70 clumps must lie along the line of sight to BL Lac in order to reproduce the characteristics of the absorption line. 16 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5469213
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (United States) Vol. 371; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
640105 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
BL LACERTAE OBJECTS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COSMIC GASES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
EMISSION SPECTRA
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GASES
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
LINE WIDTHS
MILKY WAY
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SPACE
SPECTRA