Circumnuclear molecular gas in Seyfert galaxies

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/168967· OSTI ID:6596714

Taniguchi, Yoshiaki; Kameya, Osamu; Nakai, Naomasa; Kawara, Kimiaki ^[1]

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1. Kiso Observatory (Japan) Nobeyama Radio Observatory, Minamimaki (Japan) National Astronomical Observatory, Mitaka (Japan)

A search is made for circumnuclear C-12O (J = 1-0) emission from 12 Seyfert galaxies with recession velocities less than 5000 km/s, using the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45 m telescope. Circumnuclear CO emission has been detected from four Seyfert galaxies. Among them, NGC 591 (= Mrk 1157) is a new detection. Comparing these results with those of published larger beam CO observations, molecular gas clouds are not highly concentrated in the circumnuclear zones in the Seyfert galaxies. This property is different from that of starburst nuclei, in which the inner surface density of molecular gas is significantly higher than that of the outer one. However, there is no significant difference in the circumnuclear molecular gas densities between the Seyferts and the starburst nuclei. This implies that the circumnuclear molecular gas density within a diameter of less than 5 kpc is not a key parameter which activity occurs in galactic nuclei. 39 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6596714
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 358; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COSMIC GASES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
DENSITY
EMISSION SPECTRA
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
GASES
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
MOLECULES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIOASTRONOMY
SEYFERT GALAXIES
SPACE
SPECTRA