High-resolution aperture synthesis of molecular gas in NGC 1068

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/169766· OSTI ID:5701517

Planesas, P; Scoville, N; Myers, S T ^[1]

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1. Observatorio Astronomico Nacional, Guadalajara (Spain) California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (USA) Toronto Univ. (Canada)

High-resolution aperture synthesis imaging of NGC 1068 in the CO J = 1-0 line is presented. The major features of the molecular distribution in the central 3 kpc of the galaxy are a continuous pair of spiral arms originating from the end of the stellar bar seen in 2.2 micron images and a nuclear gas concentration of about 80 million solar masses. The total molecular gas content of the spiral arms is 5 billion solar masses; most of this gas is distributed in 38 complexes of 10 million to 700 million solar masses, with sizes ranging up to 500 pc. The large reservoir of interstellar gas seen in the spiral arms at 1.7 kpc radius may play a central role in both the abundant star formation and nuclear activity. 37 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5701517
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Vol. 369; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
SEYFERT GALAXIES
COSMIC GASES
CARBON MONOXIDE
EMISSION SPECTRA
GALAXY NUCLEI
IMAGES
INTERFEROMETERS
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
MASS
MOLECULES
MORPHOLOGY
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SPECTROSCOPY
STAR EVOLUTION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DISTRIBUTION
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GASES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SPACE
SPECTRA
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies