Quick search Find article
Quick search
Find article

Ultra-High-Density Molecular Core and Warped Nuclear Disk in the Deep Potential of Radio Lobe Galaxy NGC 3079

FREE

Y. Sofue1, J. Koda1, K. Kohno2, S. K. Okumura2, M. Honma3, A. Kawamura1 and Judith A. Irwin4

Show affiliations


We have performed high-resolution synthesis observations of the 12CO (J = 1-0) line emission from the radio lobe edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 3079 using a seven-element millimeter-wave interferometer at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory, which consisted of the 45 m telescope and six-element array. The nuclear molecular disk (NMD) of 750 pc radius is found to be inclined by 20° from the optical disk, and the NMD has spiral arms. An ultra-high-density core (UHC) of molecular gas was found at the nucleus. The gaseous mass of the UHC within 125 pc radius is as large as ~3 × 108 Msun, an order of magnitude more massive than that in the same area of the Galactic center, and the mean density is as high as ~3 × 103H2 cm-3. A position-velocity diagram along the major axis indicates that the rotation curve already starts at a finite velocity exceeding 300 km s-1 from the nucleus. The surface mass density in the central region is estimated to be as high as ~105 Msun pc-2, producing a very deep gravitational potential. We argue that the very large differential rotation in such a deep potential will keep the UHC gravitationally stable during the current star formation.


Subject headings

galaxies: individual (NGC 3079); galaxies: ISM; galaxies: kinematics and dynamics; galaxies: nuclei; ISM: molecules; radio lines: ISM


Dates

Issue 2 (2001 February 1)

Received 2000 September 5, accepted for publication 2000 November 15

Published 2001 January 24



View by subject




Export








Please login to access our web services, or create an account if you don't yet have one.

You must have cookies enabled in your web browser to be able to login.

Username
Password

Forgotten your password? Get a new one here.