PATTERNS OF HIGH-VELOCITY MOLECULAR GAS NEAR SAGITTARIUS A

Using (CO)-C-12, we mapped the inner 50 pc of the Galaxy with 2.5 pc ( 1') resolution at lambda-2.6 mm, and mapped the inner 10 pc with 0.6 p c resolution (15'') at lambda-870 mu m. The primary goal of this work was to trace material at -190 km s(-1), which we find to be widespread and to show no signs of any association with the actual Galactic cent er. However, an isolated, newly detected 11 K feature in the J = 3-2 l ine, seen 3'from Sgr A at -130 km s(-1), might have been caused by in teraction of the -190 km s(-1) feature with other foreground material. With respect to the 2 pc circumnuclear disk, we find that much of the gas having predominantly rotational kinematics near Sgr A does not p artake of its tilt. Conversely, substantial emission at moderate rotat ionally forbidden velocities -50 km s(-1) less than or equal to upsilo n less than or equal to 50 km s(-1) is probably part of the 2 pc circu mnuclear disk. Comparing the neutral and ionized gas we find that a pr ominent large-scale gap in the pattern of filaments within Sgr A resul ts simply from displacement or replacement of the radiocontinuum by a low-velocity molecular cloud. On smaller scales we find a clearly defi ned cavity in positive-velocity gas which encloses Sgr A (East), evide ntly corresponding to the ring of FIR continuum emission recently seen about Sgr A. We also find a cleft in gas at 30-60 km s(-1) along the length of Sgr A (West) or the northern rim of Sgr A (East). To unders tand the source geometry and coincidence of Sgr A ( West) and ( East), we suggest that the ring of emission known as Sgr A (East) may actual ly be two-dimensional.