No Arabic abstract
We study the molecular gas content and distribution in the Coma cluster spiral galaxy NGC 4848. Plateau de Bure interferometric CO(1-0) observations reveal a lopsided H_2 distribution with an off-center secondary maximum coincident with the inner part of the HI. NGC 4848 is not at all deficient in molecular gas as it contains M_H_2~4x10^9 M_solar. At the interface between the CO and HI emission regions, about 8 kpc NW of the center, however, strong star formation is present as witnessed by Halpha and radio continuum emission. This is the region in which earlier Fabry-Perot observations revealed a double-peaked Halpha line, indicating gas at two different velocities at the same sky position. In order to understand these observations, we present the results of numerical simulations of the ISM-ICM interaction. We suggest that NGC 4848 already passed through the center of the cluster about 4x10^8 years ago. At the observed stage ram pressure has no more direct dynamical influence on the galaxys ISM. We observe the galaxy when a fraction of the stripped gas is falling back onto the galaxy. Ram pressure is thus a short-lived event with longer-lasting consequences. The combination of ram-pressure and rotation results in gas at different velocities colliding where the double-peaked Halpha line is observed. Ram-pressure can thus result, after re-accretion, in displaced molecular gas without the H_2 itself being pushed efficiently by the ICM. A scenario where two interactions take place simultaneously is also consistent with the available data but less probable on the basis of our numerical simulations.
We present 13CO(1-0) and 12CO(2-1) aperture synthesis maps of the barred spiral galaxy NGC1530. The angular resolutions are respectively 3.1 and 1.6. Both transitions show features similar to the 12CO(1-0) map, with a nuclear feature (a ring or unresolved spiral arms) surrounded by two curved arcs. The average line ratios are 12CO(1-0)/13CO(1-0)=9.3 and 12CO(2-1)/12CO(1-0)=0.7. The 12CO/13CO ratio is lower in the circumnuclear ring (6-8) than in the arcs (11-15). We fit the observed line ratios by escape probability models, and deduce that the gas density is probably higher in the nuclear feature (>= 5 10^2 cm^{-3}) than in the arcs (~2 10^2 cm^{-3}), confirming earlier HCN results. The kinetic temperatures are in the range 20-90K, but are weakly constrained by the model. The average filling factor of the 12CO(1-0) emitting gas is low, ~0.15. The cm-radio continuum emission also peaks in the nuclear feature, indicating a higher rate of star formation than in the arcs. We derive values for the CO luminosity to molecular gas mass conversion factor between 0.3 and 2.3 Msolar (K km/s pc^2)^{-1}, significantly lower than the standard Galactic value.
We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of 12CO(1-0) and 12CO(2-1) in the central 40 (680 pc) of the nuclear starburst galaxy NGC 253, including its molecular outflow. We measure the ratio of brightness temperature for CO(2-1)/CO(1-0), r_21, in the central starburst and outflow-related features. We discuss how r_21 can be used to constrain the optical depth of the CO emission, which impacts the inferred mass of the outflow and consequently the molecular mass outflow rate. We find r_21 less than or equal to 1 throughout, consistent with a majority of the CO emission being optically-thick in the outflow, as it is in the starburst. This suggests that the molecular outflow mass is 3-6 times larger than the lower limit reported for optically thin CO emission from warm molecular gas. The implied molecular mass outflow rate is 25-50 solar masses per year, assuming that conversion factor for the outflowing gas is similar to our best estimates for the bulk of the starburst. This is a factor of 9-19 times larger than the star formation rate in NGC 253. We see tentative evidence for an extended, diffuse CO(2-1) component.
We present 12CO J=1-0 observations from the Caltech Millimeter Array of a field in the nearby spiral galaxy M81. We detect emission from three features that are the size of large giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in the Milky Way Galaxy and M31, but are larger than any known in M33 or the SMC. The M81 clouds have diameters approximately 100 pc and molecular masses 3 * 10^5 solar masses. These are the first GMCs to be detected in such an early type galaxy (Sab) or in a normal galaxy outside the Local Group. The clouds we have detected do not obey the size-linewidth relation obeyed by GMCs in our Galaxy and in M33, and some of them may be GMC complexes that contain several small GMCs. One of these does show signs of sub-structure, and is shaped like a ring section with three separate peaks. At the center of this ring section lies a giant HII region, which may be associated with the molecular clouds.
Studying molecular gas in the central regions of the star burst galaxies NGC4945 and Circinus enables us to characterize the physical conditions and compare them to previous local and high-z studies. We estimate temperature, molecular density and column densities of CO and atomic carbon. Using model predictions we give a range of estimated CO/C abundance ratios. Using the new NANTEN2 4m sub-millimeter telescope in Pampa La Bola, Chile, we observed for the first time CO 4-3 and [CI] 3P1-3 P0 at the centers of both galaxies at linear scale of 682 pc and 732 pc respectively. We compute the cooling curves of 12CO and 13CO using radiative transfer models and estimate the physical conditions of CO and [CI]. The centers of NGC4945 and Circinus are very [CI] bright objects, exhibiting [CI] 3P1 - 3 P0 luminosities of 91 and 67Kkms-1kpc2, respectively. The [CI] 3P1-3 P0/CO 4-3 ratio of integrated intensities are large at 1.2 in NGC4945 and 2.8 in Circinus. Combining previous CO J= 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 and 13CO J= 1-0, 2-1 studies with our new observations, the radiative transfer calculations give a range of densities, n(H2) = 10^3-3*104^cm-3, and a wide range of kinetic temperatures, Tkin = 20 - 100K, depending on the density. Future CO J= 7-6 and [CI] 2-1 observations will be important to resolve the ambiguity in the physical conditions and confirm the model predictions.
We have mapped the central region of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 1097 in 12CO(J=2-1) with the Submillieter Array (SMA). The 12CO(J=2-1) map shows a central concentration and a surrounding ring, which coincide respectively with the Seyfert nucleus and a starburst ring. The line intensity peaks at the nucleus, whereas in a previously published 12CO(J=1-0) map the intensity peaks at the starburst ring. The molecular ring has an azimuthally averaged 12CO(J=2-1)/(J=1-0) intensity ratio (R21) of about unity, which is similar to those in nearby active star forming galaxies, suggesting that most of the molecular mass in the ring is involved in fueling the starburst. The molecular gas can last for only about 1.2times10^8 years without further replenishment assuming a constant star formation rate and a perfect conversion of gas to stars. The velocity map shows that the central molecular gas is rotating with the molecular ring in the same direction, while its velocity gradient is much steeper than that of the ring. This velocity gradient of the central gas is similar to what is usually observed in some Seyfert 2 galaxies. To view the active nucleus directly in the optical, the central molecular gas structure can either be a low-inclined disk or torus but not too low to be less massive than the mass of the host galaxy itself, be a highly-inclined thin disk or clumpy and thick torus, or be an inner part of the galactic disk. The R21 value of ~1.9 of the central molecular gas component, which is significantly higher than the value found at the molecular gas ring, indicates that the activity of the Seyfert nucleus may have a significant influence on the conditions of the molecular gas in the central component.