Molecular cloud ring in NGC 1068

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/184816· OSTI ID:6398558

Myers, S T; Scoville, N Z

The Owens Valley Millimeter Interferometer has been used to map the CO emission in the nucleus of NGC 1068 at 6-arcsec resolution (500 pc). Approximately 50 percent of the total CO emission within the central 6 kpc is contained in a ring (or arms) at R = 0.9 - 2.4 kpc near the outer edge of the inner disk, where IR observations have shown a high rate of massive star formation. The CO kinematics indicate mean circular and expansion velocities of 164 and 71 km/s, respectively for the ring assuming a major axis position angle of 55 deg. (For a major axis PA = 82 deg, the circular velocity is 185 km/s and the expansion velocity is less than 20 km/s.) The mass of molecular clouds within this region is approximately 4 x 10 to the 9th solar mass. It is proposed that the ring has formed of gas collected by the action of a central stellar bar; the infall of this gas may have been triggered by a close encounter of merger with another galaxy. 33 references.

• Research Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
• OSTI ID: 6398558
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 312; 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
CONFIGURATION
COSMIC GASES
FLUIDS
GALAXY NUCLEI
GASES
MASS
MOLECULES
MORPHOLOGY
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION
STAR EVOLUTION