Neutral-gas disk around the galactic center

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/163574· OSTI ID:5485827

Genzel, R; Crawford, M K; Townes, C H; Watson, D M

The mapping of far-infrared C(+) and O(0) fine-structure lines and the first detection of far-infrared CO and OH rotational line emission and OH absorption toward the Galactic center are reported. These measurments are compared with far-infrared and radio continuum maps, with recent observations of the 12.8 micron forbidden Ne II line, and with measurements of CO 2.6 mm emission and H I 21 cm absorption. The new observations clearly show that there is a 10 pc diameter neutral gas disk or torus of several times 10,000 solar masses surrounding the inner ionized cavity. The disk has an inner radius of 1.7 pc, is inclined by about 20 deg to the Galactic plane, and may be quite thin. The atomic gas in the neutral disk is dense and fills less than 10 percent of the volume. The disk rotates about the Galactic center about an axis remarkably similar to that of the Galactic rotation at much larger scales. 63 references.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Berkeley; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
• OSTI ID: 5485827
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 297; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COSMIC GASES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
FINE STRUCTURE
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
GASES
INFRARED RADIATION
INFRARED SPECTRA
MILKY WAY
MOLECULES
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA