CO detections and IRAS observations of bright radio spiral galaxies at cz< or =9000 kilometers per second

Journal Article · Fri Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/184561· OSTI ID:6077839

Sanders, D B; Mirabel, I F

CO emission has been detected from 20 of 21 bright radio spirals with strong extended nuclear sources, including the most distant (NGC 7674) and the most luminous (IC 4553 = Arp 220, NGC 6240) galaxies yet detected in CO. All of these galaxies are rich in molecular gas, with M/sub total/(H2) = 3 x 10Y-2 x 10 M. IRAS observations show that they have a strong far-infrared (FIR) excess, with L/sub FIR//L/sub B/roughly-equal 1-35 and L/sub FIR/(40-400 m) roughly-equal 10 -10 S L. The primary luminosity source for these radio cores appears to be star formation in molecular clouds. A strong correlation is found between the FIR and extended 21 cm continuum flux, implying that the fraction of massive stars formed is independent of the star formation rate. The ratio L/sub FIR//M(H2) provides a measure of the current rate of star formation, which is found to be a factor 3-20 larger in these galaxies than for the ensemble of molecular clouds in the Milky Way. At these rates their molecular gas will be depleted in approx.10Y yr.

• Research Organization: Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory, University of Massachusetts; and California Institute of Technology
• OSTI ID: 6077839
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States) Vol. 298:2; ISSN AJLEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASIA
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
CONFIGURATION
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMOCHEMISTRY
DATA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
GALAXIES
INFORMATION
INFRARED RADIATION
IRAQ
LUMINOSITY
MIDDLE EAST
NUMERICAL DATA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATION FLUX
RADIATIONS
RADIO GALAXIES
SPECTRA
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION
STAR EVOLUTION