Interaction of low- and high-velocity systems in the galaxy NGC 1275

Published data on gas systems of different velocities in the galaxy NGC 1275 are examined. One of the systems is associated with NGC 1275 (low-velocity system — LV); the other is approaching it at a velocity of 3000 km/sec (high-velocity system — HV). Many of the collected results obtained from spectra and from direct images in the ultraviolet, optical, red, and infrared indicate interaction of these systems. The interaction is exhibited in the same shape and spatial distribution of the gas filaments in both systems, in the elongation of some of them toward the nucleus of the galaxy, and in the increase in brightness of the HV gas near some of the clusters of young stars of the LV system. Gas of the HV system is observed at a distance of O.5 (170 pc) from the nucleus of the galaxy, while intermediate-velocity gas (IV — 600–1520 km/sec relative to the velocity of NGC 1275) is detected at distances less than 7 (2.5 kpc). We presume that the rare cases of the detection of IV gas are related to the use of H_a observations primarily: at the velocities of 600–900 km/sec, the H_a line of the IV gas blends with the [NII] 6584Å line of the LV gas.Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 567–584, November, 1996.     

The ionized gas in NGC 4945

Physical conditions and relative abundance ratios of the ionized medium of NGC 4945 are discussed. The spectral characteristics indicate forT _e=10⁴ K a relatively low electron density (N _e1250 cm^–3) decreasing outwards. N(N)/N(H) and N(S)/N(H) diminish with the distance from the nucleus while N(N)/N(S) is nearly constant. These abundance gradients, the lack of kinematical evidences of a bar and the observational difficulties to grasp its morphology, make it improbable that NGC 4945 could be classified as a barred galaxy.     

Physical conditions of ionized gas and mass-luminosity distribution in NGC 7793

The physical state of ionized gas in NGC 7793 was studied by spectroscopical means: the electronic temperature isT _e10⁴K while the electronic density ranges fromN _e1400 cm^–3 in the nucleus toN _e1000 cm^–3 in the emission regions. There are also indications of an excess of nitrogen in the nucleus. TheM/L ratio suggests for NGC 7793, a high proportion of young objects quite uniformly distributed over its body, with a slight concentration towards the nuclear region.     

12CO, 13CO and HCN in the Barred Galaxy NGC 1530

Bars probably have a great importance in galactic evolution. The barred potential is able to concentrate large quantities of interstellar gas in the vicinity of the nucleus, feeding any nuclear activity, be it central starbursts or black hole accretion discs. The IRAM millimeter interferometer and 30 m telescope have allowed a precise analysis of the molecular gas in the bar and the nucleus of a typical barred spiral galaxy, NGC 1530. In this galaxy, I have detected CO(1→0) along two lanes that trace shocks in the molecular gas. In these lanes, the gas moves toward the centre of the galaxy, with typical in fall velocities of 100 km s^-1. I have shown in these shocks an anticorrelation between shear in the gas and star formation efficiency by comparing H^α and CO maps. I have also studied the centre of this galaxy at higher resolution in¹²CO(1→0), ¹²CO(2→1),¹³CO(1→0) and HCN(1→0). In the central region, the gas distribution is a ring or an unresolved spiral, surrounded by two curved arcs. The nuclear ring contains large amounts of dense gas traced by HCN and ¹³CO, and shows intense star formation, as indicated by the non-thermal centimetre continuum. The arcs, in contrast, are poor in dense gas and form few stars. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Feeding Monsters – A Study of Active Galaxies

We present new interferometric observations of the molecular gas distribution and kinematics in the nuclei of different active galaxies at high angular resolution and high sensitivity carried out with the IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer (PdBI). The observations cover galaxies in a redshift range of 0.03–1.4. We have so far observed five different active galaxies: NGC3718, NGC1068, HE1029–1831, 3C48 and Q0957+561. The first two objects belong to the NUGA (NUclei of GAlaxies) project – an international collaboration mainly between Spain, France and Germany – containing about 30 Seyfert and LINER galaxies. Both are at the same distance of 14Mpc and show a warped gas and dust disk. The new mosaic map of NGC3718 corrected for short-spacing effects with IRAM 30 m observations well demonstrates the existence of the warped gas disk with several secondary maxima in the projected gas distribution caused by orbit crowding effects. Based on these new data we have improved recent simulations of the warped disk in NGC3718. HE1029–1831 and 3C48 are nearby QSOs. HE1029–1831 is taken out of the Cologne nearby QSO sample. The maps of the integrated CO(1–0) and CO(2–1) emission clearly show that the molecular gas is mostly related to the central bulge with a non-negligible fraction distributed along the bar known from optical observations. Our new CO data of 3C48 unveil new information about the kinematics of its molecular gas complementing and improving further studies based on previous infrared observations and detailed multi-particle simulations. Finally, new measurements of the CO(1–0) line in Q0957+561 – a highly-red-shifted, gravitationally lensed quasar – will be presented as a link to earlier evolutionary stages of active galaxies and their hosts.     

VLBI observations of high-opacity HI gas in NGC 5793

We report on observations, with sub-parsec resolution, of neutral hydrogen seen in absorption in the λ=21 cm line against the nucleus of the active spiral galaxy NGC 5793. The absorption line consists of three components separated in both location as well as velocity. We derive HI column densities of 2×10²² cm⁻² assuming a gas spin temperature of 100 K. For the first time we are able to reliably estimate the HI cloud sizes (≈15 pc) and atomic gas densities (≈200 cm⁻³). Our results suggest that the HI gas is not associated with the <10 pc region which presumably contains the H₂O masers, but it is more distant from the nucleus, and is probably associated with the r1 kpc gas seen in CO.     

The circumstellar structure of lynds 379 IRS1

¹²CO J=2-1 maps of L379 IRS1 show a molecular outflow seen almost end-on while C¹⁸O J=2-1 emission covers a smaller central region, tracing virially bound material deeper within the cloud. Continuum maps at 450, 800 and 1100µm all trace an identical double peaked arc west of IRS1 and VLA NH₃ (1,1) & (2,2) integrated intensity maps reveal the same double-peaked structure. An identical velocity gradient is seen in¹²CO,¹³CO, C¹⁸O and NH₃ (1,1) & (2,2) following the arc-like structure of the continuum emission.     

Gas Flows and Star Formation in the Ringed Galaxy NGC 4736

We present high-resolution (∼5″) BIMA CO observations of the ringed galaxy NGC 4736, along with previously published VLA HI data (Braun, 1995). Strong CO emission is detected from the star-forming ring at r=45″ and in the central region, where a molecular bar is apparent. The azimuthally averaged gas surface density is still much less than the Toomre critical density within r=60″, despite the starburst conditions in the ring (gas depletion time ≲1Gyr). Both CO and HI velocity fields show strong departures from a circular rotating disc model. The velocity residuals are consistent with inflowing gas near the ends of the central bar, outflowing gas between the bar and the ring, and inflowing gas outside the ring. We propose that the high star formation efficiency in the ring results from gas being driven out towards the OLR of the bar and in towards the ILR of the larger oval distortion. However, the strong signature of inflow outside the ring is probably due in part to gas motion in elliptical orbits. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Near-infrared imaging in H2 of molecular (CO) outflows from young stars

We have imaged several known molecular (CO) outflows in H₂ v=1-0 S(1) and wide-band K in order to identify the molecular shocks associated with the acceleration of ambient gas by outflows from young stars. We detected H₂ line emission in all the flows we observed: L 1157, VLA 1623, NGC 6334I, NGC 2264G, L 1641N and Haro 4-255. A comparison of the H₂ data with CO outflow maps strongly suggests that prompt entrainment near the head of a collimated jet probably is the dominant mechanism for producing the CO outflows in these sources.     

Molecular gas distribution and dynamics in the luminous merger NGC 6240

We present the results of our subarcsecond resolution interferometricobservations of the 1.3 mm CO J = 21 line in the luminous merger NGC6240. Roughly half of the CO flux is contained in a rotating and highlyturbulent thick disk centered between the two radio and near-infrarednuclei. In this disk the molecular gas has velocity widths which reachFWZP line widths of up to 1000 km s^-1. The mass of this gasconcentration makes up between 30%–70% of the dynamical mass in thisregion. NGC 6240 may be in an earlier merging stage than typical ULIRGssuch as Arp 220. We compare these results from NGC 6240 with thoseof other luminous, gas-rich interacting galaxies and mergers.     

On the Vertical Thermal Structure of Pluto's Atmosphere

A radiative–conductive model for the vertical thermal structure of Pluto's atmosphere is developed with a non-LTE treatment of solar heating in the CH₄3.3 μm and 2.3 μm bands, non-LTE radiative exchange and cooling in the CH₄7.6 μm band, and LTE cooling by CO rotational line emission. The model includes the effects of opacity and vibrational energy transfer in the CH₄molecule. Partial thermalization of absorbed solar radiation in the CH₄3.3 and 2.3 μm bands by rapid vibrational energy transfer from the stretch modes to the bending modes generates high altitude heating at sub-microbar pressures. Heating in the 2.3 μm bands exceeds heating in 3.3 μm bands by approximately a factor of 6 and occurs predominantly at microbar pressures to generate steep temperature gradients ∼10–20 K km⁻¹forp> 2 μbar when the surface or tropopause pressure is ∼3 μbar and the CH₄mixing ratio is a constant 3%. This calculated structure may account for the “knee” in the stellar occultation lightcurve. The vertical temperature structure in the first 100 km above the surface is similar for atmospheres with Ar, CO, and N₂individually as the major constituent. If a steep temperature gradient ∼20 K km⁻¹is required near the surface or above the tropopause, then the preferred major constituent is Ar with 3% CH₄mixing ratio to attain a calculated ratio ofT/(= 3.5 K amu⁻¹) in agreement with inferred values from stellar occultation data. However, pure Ar and N₂ices at the same temperature yield an Ar vapor pressure of only ∼0.04 times the N₂vapor pressure. Alternative scenarios are discussed that may yield acceptable fits with N₂as the dominant constituent. One possibility is a 3 μbar N₂atmosphere with 0.3% CH₄that has 106 K isothermal region (T/= 3.8 K amu⁻¹) and ∼8 K km⁻¹surface/tropopause temperature gradient. Another possibility would be a higher surface pressure ∼10 μbar with a scattering haze forp> 2 μbar. Our model with appropriate adjustments in the CH₄density profile to Triton's inferred profile yields a temperature profile consistent with the UVS solar occultation data (Krasnopolsky, V. A., B. R. Sandel, and F. Herbert 1992.J. Geophys. Res.98, 3065–3078.) and ground-based stellar occultation data (Elliot, J. L., E. W. Dunham, and C. B. Olkin 1993.Bull. Am. Astron. Soc.25, 1106.).     

Near-Infrared Spectral Mapping of NGC 1614

We present the spatial distribution of the bright near-infrared emission lines, Br, H₂, He I, [Fe II], and the CO band longwards of 2.3 m, for the luminous infrared galaxy NGC 1614. The morphology of the ionised gas is different from that of the stellar light, and possibly forms a circumnuclear ring. Our data imply that the stellar population is older and the extinction is lower in the nucleus relative to the surrounding circumnuclear ring. We suggest that NGC 1614 is a galaxy whose recent interaction triggered massive star formation in the nucleus, which in turn caused a radially outward progression of star formation thereby producing the circumnuclear ring we observe today. There is no evidence for a buried AGN, and it is difficult to reconcile our data with the simple evolutionary model of ultraluminous galaxies proposed by Sanders et al (1988).     

A Molecular Ring in the Liner Ngc 5218

High resolution OVRO CO 1–0 observations of the inner 30 in the LINER galaxy NGC 5218 reveal the presence of a double centrally peaked molecular concentration with extensions out to a radius of 12. The molecular mass detected is 2.4 × 10⁹ M and the gas surface density is high, 3000 M pc square in the inner 500 pc. The SFR is 2–3 M yr^–1 and the SFE is 13, which are low or moderate values for that gas surface density. We interpret the inner feature as a rotating molecular ring with a radius of 200 pc. We furthermore suggest that the LINER activity in NGC 5218 is not caused by an aging starburst, but by a buried AGN.     

Is C/O enhanced in NGC 253?

We have mapped the nuclear region of the starburst galaxy NGC 253 in the³ P ₁ ³ P ₀ line of neutral carbon using the JCMT. Carbon is widespread across the nuclear region with a similiar distribution to CO as expected. Previous studies of Galactic star-forming regions showed that carbon emission is enhanced in photon-dominated regions (where UV photons impinge upon molecular clouds). Previous observations of other PDR tracers such as ionized carbon and FIR continuum constrain the physical conditions in the PDR gas of NGC 253. The carbon we have observed is far brighter than predicted by theoretical models of PDRs with solar elemental values. This indicates that carbon emission is not a reliable diagnostic of the physical conditions in the nuclear region of a galaxy undergoing a burst of star formation.     

B,V surface photometry of the UV continuum galaxy NGC 838

Surface photometry of the UV continuum galaxy NGC 838 has been carried out in theB, V system using photographic plates obtained with the 74 Kottamia telescope, Egypt. Isophotes, luminosity profiles, integrated photographic magnitudes, effective diameters and other photometric parameters are derived.The photoelectrically calibrated total apparent magnitudes areB _T =13.57 with maximum diameters 1.57×1.34 (at threshold _m =27.7 mag.//) andV _T =12.91 with maximum diameters 1.54×1.32 (at threshold _m =27.7 mag./). The integrated colour index(B–V) _T =0.66 and the effective surface brightness _e (B=19.0 mag./) and _e (V=19.7 mag./. The major axis is at position angle =85°±1°.The nucleus of NGC 838 is quite blue (integrated colour(B–V)=0.41 forr ^*<0.1) compared to normal galaxies while the colour becomes redder from the nucleus outwards. The UV excess, H emission and radio continuum emission previously observed from this galaxy by other investigators may be attributed to a recent burst of star formation in the nucleus of the galaxy of duration slightly greater than 2×10⁷ yr.     

Star formation history in the central region of the barred galaxy NGC 7177

Using the method of two-dimensional spectroscopy, we have investigated the kinematics and distribution of the gas and stars at the center of the early-type spiral galaxy NGC 7177 with a mediumscale bar as well as the change in the mean age of the stellar population along the radius. A classical picture of radial gas inflow to the galactic center along the shock fronts delineated by dust concentration at the leading edges of the bar has been revealed. The gas inflow is observed down to a radius R = 1″.5−2″, where the gas flows at the inner Lindblad resonance concentrate in an azimuthally highly inhomogeneous nuclear star formation ring. The bar in NGC 7177 is shown to be thick in z coordinate—basically, it has already turned into a pseudo-bulge as a result of secular dynamical evolution. The mean stellar age inside the star formation ring, in the galactic nucleus, is old, ∼10 Gyr.Outside, at a distance R = 6″−8″ from the nucleus, the mean age of the stellar population is ∼2 Gyr. If we agree that the bar in NGC 7177 is old, then, obviously, the star formation ring has migrated radially inward in the last 1–2 Gyr, in accordance with the predictions of some dynamical models.     

The Hα Emission of the Spiral Galaxy NGC 7479

We use the catalogue of HII regions obtained from a high quality continuum-subtracted H_α image of the grand-design spiral galaxy NGC 7479, to construct the luminosity function (LF) for the HII regions(over 1000) of the whole galaxy. Although its slope is within the published range for spirals of the same morphological type, the unusually strong star formation along the intense bar of NGC 7479 prompted us to analyse separately the HII regions in the bar and in the disc. We have calculated the physical properties of a group of HII regions in the bar and in the disc selected for their regular shapes and absence of blending. We have obtained galaxy-wide relations for the HII region set: diameter distribution function and also the global H_α surface density distribution. As found previously for late-type spirals, the disc LF shows clear double-linear behaviour with a break at log L ∼ 38.6 (in erg ^-1). The bar LF is less regular. This reflects a physical difference between the bar and the disc in the properties of their populations of regions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

New insights into a familiar friend: COJ=2–1 mapping of the bipolar outflow source NGC 1333 (HH 7–11)

We have observed the bipolar outflow source NGC 1333 (HH 7–11) in theJ=2–1 transition of¹²CO, and find evidence for a strong westerly termination of the red outflow lobe at a velocityV _lsr 27 km s^–1, together with maximal mean red-flow velocities v centred upon both the driving source SVS 13 and the westerly limit of the outflow zone. As a consequence, we propose a model for the source in which the red-shifted outflow is directly impinging upon a nearby molecular cloud, causing extensive surface erosion and/or diversion of the jet material.Paper presented at the 11th European regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

Der offene sternhaufen NGC 2362

The very young open star cluster NGC 2362 was investigated by the strip method on charts of two photographs taken with the 1-m Schmidt telescope of the European Southern Observatory. Up to the limiting magnitudeM _v ^* =5 _. ^m 8 the cluster contains 100 stars and can be described by the Gaussian density law (6). Further results are: Mass = 246 , central mass density ₀ = 43.1 = 246 pc^-3 , radiusR2.6 pc, mean velocity of the stars = 0.64 km s^–1.

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Mitteilungen Serie A.     

Some peculiarities of four host galaxies,containing Seyfert nuclei

Star-like objects are found in Seyfert galaxies Markarian 290, Markarian 298, NGC 1275, and NGC 7469, being connected with the structure peculiarities of the galaxies. The absolute magnitudes of these objects are –16 ^m M–19 ^m . It has been supposed that these star formations must stimulate the instability in the disk of the galaxy followed by the matter fall toward the centre of the galaxy. The gas inflow toward the centre will allow the recent star formations and Seyfert nuclei generation.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.