Gas dynamics of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3359
A detailed study was conducted of the dynamics of the neutral hydrogen gas in the bright northern barred spiral galaxy NGC 3359. Observations of the 21 cm line at the Very Large Array were reduced to give single-channel maps with spatial resolution of 18'', and a velocity resolution of 25 km/s. The acquisition, calibration, and reduction of the data are discussed in some detail. Maps of the integrated column density and mean velocity of the atomic hydrogen, derived from the channel maps, provide the principal data for an investigation of the dynamics associated with the spiral structure of the galaxy. On scales comparable to the resolution of this survey, approximately 1 kpc at the distance of NGC 3359, the gas is broken up into a somewhat chaotic distribution of local maxima and minima. However, on larger scales the column density shows a smooth, grand design spiral pattern with two principal spiral arms. The extent and density of these two arms are roughly equal in the 21 cm map, unlike the optical image. These neutral hydrogen arms are very well correlated with the position of H II regions.
- Research Organization:
- Florida Univ., Gainesville (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5472111
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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