Observations of IRAS F10214+4724 at the Nobeyama millimeter array

F10214+4724 is an IRAS source at z=2.286 with L(sub FIR) approximately 10(exp 14) solar luminosity. The CO(3-2) emission was detected at the NRAO 12-m telescope, and its molecular gas mass was estimated to be (1-3)x10(exp 11) solar mass. This object is unique and important because it is the first high-z object from which molecular line emission is detected and it enables us to investigate molecular gas content, star forming material, at an early stage of galactic evolution. If IRAS F10214+4724 is a primeval galaxy at the formation process, it is possible the gas has not been collapsed yet to the galactic scale. On the other hand, it is also possible IRAS F10214+4724 is a merging or interacting system like the most of ultra-luminous infrared galaxies. However, since the first detection was made with a medium size single-dish telescope, the precise position, extent, and distribution of the molecular gas had not been determined. The aim of our aperture synthesis observations is therefore to determine position and distribution of molecular gas

NRO/OVRO CO(1-0) survey: central regions of nearby spiral galaxies

We have done a CO(1-0) imaging survey of the central regions of nearby spiral galaxies using the Nobeyama and Owens Valley Millimeter Arrays. The survey aims to reveal the nuclear gas properties in normal galaxies that have been paid relatively little attention compared to Seyferts, mergers, and ultraluminous IRAS galaxies. The sample consists of 20 galaxies that meet the following criteria: (1) i +5° (3) I_(CO) dV ≥ 10 K(T∗_A)km s^(−1) in the FCRAO Extragalactic CO Survey (4) no evidence of significant perturbation (e.g. merging). No selection was made on the basis of nuclear activity or IRAS data. The average distance of the galaxies is 15 Mpc and the average linear resolution is 300 pc

NMA Survey of CO and HCN Emission from Nearby Active Galaxies

High resolution (a few arcseconds) observations of CO(1-0) and HCN(1-0) emission from nearby Seyfert galaxies have been conducted with the Nobeyama Millimeter Array. Based on the observed CO distributions and kinematics,we suggest that a small scale (a few 100 pc - a few kpc) distortion of the underlying potential seems to be necessary for Seyfert activity, although it is not a sufficient condition. We also find that the Toomre's Q values in the centers of Seyfert galaxies tend to be larger than unity, indicating the circumnuclear molecular gas disks around Seyfert nuclei would be gravitationally stable. The HCN/CO integrated intensity ratios (R_HCN/CO) range over an order of magnitude, from 0.086 to 0.6. The Seyfert galaxies with high R_HCN/CO may have an extended (r ~ 100 pc scale) envelope of obscuring material. The presence of kpc scale jet/ outflow might be also related to the extremely high R_HCN/CO.Comment: To appear in the Proceedings of the 3rd Cologne-Zermatt Symposium, ``The Physics and Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium'

NRO/OVRO CO(1-0) survey: central regions of nearby spiral galaxies

We have done a CO(1-0) imaging survey of the central regions of nearby spiral galaxies using the Nobeyama and Owens Valley Millimeter Arrays. The survey aims to reveal the nuclear gas properties in normal galaxies that have been paid relatively little attention compared to Seyferts, mergers, and ultraluminous IRAS galaxies. The sample consists of 20 galaxies that meet the following criteria: (1) i +5° (3) I_(CO) dV ≥ 10 K(T∗_A)km s^(−1) in the FCRAO Extragalactic CO Survey (4) no evidence of significant perturbation (e.g. merging). No selection was made on the basis of nuclear activity or IRAS data. The average distance of the galaxies is 15 Mpc and the average linear resolution is 300 pc

Bar-driven Transport of Molecular Gas to Galactic Centers and Its Consequences

We study the characteristics of molecular gas in the central regions of spiral galaxies on the basis of our CO(J=1-0) imaging survey of 20 nearby spiral galaxies using the NRO and OVRO millimeter arrays. Condensations of molecular gas at galactic centers with sizescales < 1 kpc and CO-derived masses M_gas(R<500pc) = 10^8 - 10^9 M_sun are found to be prevalent in the gas-rich L^* galaxies. Moreover, the degree of gas concentration to the central kpc is found to be higher in barred systems than in unbarred galaxies. This is the first statistical evidence for the higher central concentration of molecular gas in barred galaxies, and it strongly supports the theory of bar-driven gas transport. It is most likely that more than half of molecular gas within the central kpc of a barred galaxy was transported there from outside by the bar. The supply of gas has exceeded the consumption of gas by star formation in the central kpc, resulting in the excess gas in the centers of barred systems. The mean rate of gas inflow is statistically estimated to be larger than 0.1 - 1 M_sun/yr. The correlation between gas properties in the central kpc and the type of nuclear spectrum (HII, LINER, or Seyfert) is investigated. A correlation is found in which galaxies with larger gas-to-dynamical mass ratios tend to have HII nuclear spectra, while galaxies with smaller ratios show spectra indicating AGN. Also, the theoretical prediction of bar-dissolution by condensation of gas to galactic centers is observationally tested. It is suggested that the timescale for bar dissolution is larger than 10^8 - 10^10 yr, or a bar in a L^* galaxy is not destroyed by a condensation of 10^8 - 10^9 M_sun gas in the central kpc.Comment: AASTeX, 20 pages, 8 eps figs, ApJ in press (10 Nov. 1999 issue

Starbursting Nuclear CO Disks of Early-type Spiral Galaxies

We have initiated the first CO interferometer survey of early-type spiral galaxies (S0-Sab). We observed five early-type spiral galaxies with HII nuclei (indicating circumnuclear starburst activities). These observations indicate gas masses for the central kiloparsec of \sim 1-5% of the dynamical masses. Such low gas mass fractions suggest that large-scale gravitational instability in the gas is unlikely to be the driving cause for the starburst activities. The Toomre Q values were >1 (mostly >3) within the central kiloparsec, indicating that the gas disks are globally gravitationally stable. The area filling factor of the gas disks is estimated to be about 0.05. This small value indicates the existence of lumpy structure, i.e. molecular clouds, in the globally-gravitationally stable disks. The typical surface density of the molecular clouds is as high as \sim 3000 Msun pc^{-2}. We reconsider the nature of the Toomre Q criterion, and conclude that the Q derived from CO observations indicates neither star formation nor molecular cloud formation. This argument should be valid not only for the circumnuclear disks but also for any region in galactic disks. We tentatively explore an alternative model, i.e. cloud-cloud collisions, as an initiating mechanism of star formation.Comment: 7pages, including 2 figures ; A&A accepted (19 Oct. 2004

ALMA Observations of the Submillimeter Dense Molecular Gas Tracers in the Luminous Type-1 Active Nucleus of NGC 7469

We present ALMA Cycle 1 observations of the central kpc region of the luminous type-1 Seyfert galaxy NGC 7469 with unprecedented high resolution (0.5$"$ $\times$ 0.4$"$ = 165 pc $\times$ 132 pc) at submillimeter wavelengths. Utilizing the wide-bandwidth of ALMA, we simultaneously obtained HCN(4-3), HCO$^+$(4-3), CS(7-6), and partially CO(3-2) line maps, as well as the 860 $\mu$m continuum. The region consists of the central $\sim$ 1$"$ component and the surrounding starburst ring with a radius of $\sim$ 1.5$"$-2.5$"$. Several structures connect these components. Except for CO(3-2), these dense gas tracers are significantly concentrated towards the central $\sim$ 1$"$, suggesting their suitability to probe the nuclear regions of galaxies. Their spatial distribution resembles well those of centimeter and mid-infrared continuum emissions, but it is anti-correlated with the optical one, indicating the existence of dust obscured star formation. The integrated intensity ratios of HCN(4-3)/HCO$^+$(4-3) and HCN(4-3)/CS(7-6) are higher at the AGN position than at the starburst ring, which is consistent to our previous findings (submm-HCN enhancement). However, the HCN(4-3)/HCO$^+$(4-3) ratio at the AGN position of NGC 7469 (1.11$\pm$0.06) is almost half of the corresponding value of the low-luminosity type-1 Seyfert galaxy NGC 1097 (2.0$\pm$0.2), despite the more than two orders of magnitude higher X-ray luminosity of NGC 7469. But the ratio is comparable to that of the close vicinity of the AGN of NGC 1068 ($\sim$ 1.5). Based on these results, we speculate that some other heating mechanisms than X-ray (e.g., mechanical heating due to AGN jet) can contribute significantly for shaping the chemical composition in NGC 1097.Comment: Fixed typos in the title. 15 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables: accepted for publication in ApJ. Comments welcom

Dynamics of Barred Galaxies

Some 30% of disc galaxies have a pronounced central bar feature in the disc plane and many more have weaker features of a similar kind. Kinematic data indicate that the bar constitutes a major non-axisymmetric component of the mass distribution and that the bar pattern tumbles rapidly about the axis normal to the disc plane. The observed motions are consistent with material within the bar streaming along highly elongated orbits aligned with the rotating major axis. A barred galaxy may also contain a spheroidal bulge at its centre, spirals in the outer disc and, less commonly, other features such as a ring or lens. Mild asymmetries in both the light and kinematics are quite common. We review the main problems presented by these complicated dynamical systems and summarize the effort so far made towards their solution, emphasizing results which appear secure. (Truncated)Comment: This old review appeared in 1993. Plain tex with macro file. 82 pages 18 figures. A pdf version with figures at full resolution (3.24MB) is available at http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~sellwood/bar_review.pd