LOCATIONS OF STARBURSTS IN M82

Authors
Citation
Jj. Shen et Ky. Lo, LOCATIONS OF STARBURSTS IN M82, The Astrophysical journal, 445(2), 1995, pp. 99-103
Citations number
38
Categorie Soggetti
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Journal title
ISSN journal
0004637X
Volume
445
Issue
2
Year of publication
1995
Part
2
Pages
99 - 103
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-637X(1995)445:2<99:LOSIM>2.0.ZU;2-Q
Abstract
Observations with 2''.5 (38 pc) resolution of the CO (1 --> 0) emissio n from the starburst nucleus of M82, obtained with the Berkeley-Illino is-Maryland Association (BIMA) six-element millimeter-wave array, have revealed unresolved (< 30 pc) structure in the CO emission with very high brightness temperature (up to 34 K). The new observations have al so resolved the previously identified double lobe and central peak in the integrated CO intensity into many peaks that are all due to ''velo city crowding'' of several velocity components. Most of the CO emittin g gas could be located in molecular spiral arms at 125 pc and 390 pc f rom the nucleus. Outflow motion (similar to 230 km s(-1)) of part of t he molecular gas normal to the plane is also indicated. The new observ ations suggest that the starbursts took place within molecular spiral arms at some distance from the nucleus. The starbursts may in fact hav e propagated inward. Given the substantial amount of dense molecular g as still present in the M82 starburst region, it is not clear why the starburst activity appears to have subsided.