Dense Molecular Gas and Star Formation in Nearby Seyfert Galaxies


Abstract in English

An imaging survey of CO(1-0), HCN(1-0), and HCO$^+$(1-0) lines in the centers of nearby Seyfert galaxies has been conducted using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array and the RAINBOW interferometer. Preliminary results reveal that 3 Seyferts out of 7 show abnormally high HCN/CO and HCN/HCO$^+$ ratios, which cannot occur even in nuclear starburst galaxies. We suggest that the enhanced HCN emission originated from X-ray irradiated dense obscuring tori, and that these molecular line ratios can be a new diagnostic tool to search for ``pure AGNs. According to our HCN diagram, we suggest that NGC 1068, NGC 1097, and NGC 5194 host ``pure AGNs, whereas Seyfert nuclei of NGC 3079, NGC 6764, and NGC 7469 may be ``composite in nature.

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