Dust reradiation from NGC 6946

Technical Report · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5604724

Smith, J; Harper, D A; Loewenstein, R F

Far-infrared measurements of dust reradiation for the spiral galaxy NGC 6946 are presented. The measurements consist of maps and an energy distribution, all made with a resolution of 49 sec. Effective wavelengths are 120 and 170 microns for the maps and 60, 120, and 170 microns for the energy distribution. Much of the reradiating dust has a temperature of 20 K. The amount of starlight reradiated at far-infrared wavelengths is approx. 6 x 10/sup 10/ L(solar) or about half the total amount of starlight produced by the nucleus and disk of NGC 6946. A bright nuclear peak centered on a 5' wide disk describes the reradiation morphology at 170 microns. The disk contributes approx. 90% of the total reradiation; the 49-sec diameter region centered on the nucleus gives the small remainder. The morphology of reradiated starlight is compared to the familiar starlight morphology observed at optical wavelengths.

• Research Organization: Wyoming Univ., Laramie (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5604724
• Report Number(s): N-85-17880
• 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
COSMIC DUST
DUSTS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY SPECTRA
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
GALAXIES
INFRARED RADIATION
INFRARED SPECTRA
LUMINOSITY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
STELLAR RADIATION