Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2004-07-30
Astrophys.J. 616 (2004) L55-L58
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
12 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJL
Scientific paper
10.1086/424798
We present the first interferometric CO(J=3-2) observations (beam size of 3.9"x1.6" or 160pc x 65pc) with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) toward the center of the Seyfert 2 galaxy M51. The image shows a strong concentration at the nucleus and weak emission from the spiral arm to the northwest. The integrated intensity of the central component in CO(J=3-2) is almost twice as high as that in CO(J=1-0), indicating that the molecular gas within an ~80 pc radius of the nucleus is warm (>~100 K) and dense (~10^4 cm^-3). Similar intensity ratios are seen in shocked regions in our Galaxy, suggesting that these gas properties may be related to AGN or starburst activity. The central component shows a linear velocity gradient (~1.4 km/s/pc) perpendicular to the radio continuum jet, similar to that seen in previous observations and interpreted as a circumnuclear molecular disk/torus around the Seyfert 2 nucleus. In addition, we identify a linear velocity gradient (~0.7 km/s/pc) along the jet. Judging from the energetics, the velocity gradient can be explained by supernova explosions or energy and momentum transfer from the jet to the molecular gas via interaction, which is consistent with the high intensity ratio.
Dinh-V-Trung
Hsieh Pei-Ying
Iono Daisuke
Kuo Cheng-Yu
Lim JaeDeok
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