601 research outputs found

    VLA H92 Alpha and H53 Alpha Radio Recombination Line Observations of M82

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    We present high angular resolution (0.6'') observations made with the VLA of the radio continuum at 8.3 and 43 GHz as well as H92 Alpha and H53 Alpha radio recombination lines from the nearby (3 Mpc) starburst galaxy M82. In the continuum we report 19 newly identified sources at 8.3 GHz and 5 at 43 GHz that were unknown previously. The spatial distribution of the H92 Alpha line is inhomogeneous; we identify 27 features. The line and continuum emission are modeled using a collection of HII regions at different distances from the nucleus assuming a single-density component and two-density components. The high-density component has a density of 4 X 10^{4} cm^{-3}. However, the bulk of the ionization is in regions with densities which are typically a factor 10 lower. The gas kinematics, using the H92 Alpha line, confirms the presence of steep velocity gradient (26 km s^{-1} arcsec^{-1}) in the nuclear region. As this steep gradient is observed not only on the major axis but also at large distances along a band of PA of 150 degrees, the interpretation in terms of x2 orbits elongated along the minor axis of the bar, which would be observed at an angle close to the inclination of the main disk, seems inadequate. Ad-hoc radial motions must be introduced to reproduce the pattern of the velocity field. Different families of orbits are indicated as we detect a signature in the kinematics at the transition between the two plateaus observed in the NIR light distribution. The H92 Alpha line also reveals the base of the outflow where the injection towards the halo on the Northern side occurs. The kinematical pattern suggests a connection between the gas flowing in the plane of M82 towards the center; this behavior most likely originates due to the presence of a bar and the outflow out of the plane.Comment: 45 pages, 11 figures and 6 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap

    The Kinematics of the Ionized and Molecular Hydrogen in the Starburst Galaxy NGC 253

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    Near-infrared H_2 1-0 S(1) and Br_gamma velocity curves along the major axis of NGC 253 have revealed a central velocity gradient that is seven times steeper than that shown by the optical velocity curve. This is interpreted as an optical depth effect due to dust. Approximately 35 mag of visual extinction in the center is required to match the SW side of the optical velocity curve. The spatial variation of the ratio of these lines to the CO (J=1-0) line is compared among starburst galaxies NGC 253, M82, and NGC 4945 to investigate the excitation mechanism responsible for the H_2 1-0 S(1) line.Comment: Uuencoded postscript file, 10 pages (4 tables included), 8 figures available on request to [email protected], Ap.J. (in press

    Discovery of Molecular Gas in the Outflow and Tidal Arms around M82

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    We present the first fully sampled map of 12CO (1-0) emission from M82 covering the entire galaxy. Our map contains a 12 x 15 kpc^2 area. We find that extraplanar CO emission, previously reported at short distances above the galactic plane, extends to heights of up to 6 kpc above the disk. Some of this emission is associated with tidal arms seen in HI, implying either that M82 contained substantial amounts of molecular gas in the outer disk, or that molecular gas formed after the tidal features. CO emission along the direction of the outflow extends to distances of 3 kpc above and below the disk. At this distance, the line is shifted in velocity about 100 km/s, and has the same sense as the galactic outflow from the central starburst. This implies that molecular gas may be entrained into the outflow.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures. Uses emulateapj5. Accepted by ApJ Letter

    The Asymmetric Wind in M82

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    We have obtained detailed imaging Fabry-Perot observations of the nearby galaxy M82, in order to understand the physical association between the high-velocity outflow and the starburst nucleus. The observed velocities of the emitting gas in M82 reveal a bipolar outflow of material, originating from the bright starburst regions in the galaxy's inner disk, but misaligned with respect to the galaxy spin axis. The deprojected outflow velocity increases with radius from 525 to 655 km/s. Spectral lines show double components in the centers of the outflowing lobes, with the H-alpha line split by ~300 km/s over a region almost a kiloparsec in size. The filaments are not simple surfaces of revolution, nor is the emission distributed evenly over the surfaces. We model these lobes as a composite of cylindrical and conical structures, collimated in the inner ~500 pc but expanding at a larger opening angle of ~25 degrees beyond that radius. We compare our kinematic model with simulations of starburst-driven winds in which disk material surrounding the source is entrained by the wind. The data also reveal a remarkably low [NII]/H-alpha ratio in the region of the outflow, indicating that photoionization by the nuclear starburst may play a significant role in the excitation of the optical filament gas, particularly near the nucleus.Comment: 42 pages AASTeX with 16 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ; figures reformatted for better printin

    Gemini Spectroscopy and HST Imaging of the Stellar Cluster Population in Region B of M82

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    We present new spectroscopic observations of the stellar cluster population of region B in the prototype starburst galaxy M82 obtained with the Gillett Gemini-North 8.1-metre telescope. By coupling the spectroscopy with UBVI photometry acquired with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), we derive ages, extinctions and radial velocities for seven young massive clusters (YMCs) in region B. We find the clusters to have ages between 70 and 200 Myr and velocities in the range 230 to 350 km/s, while extinctions Av vary between ~1-2.5 mag. We also find evidence of differential extinction across the faces of some clusters which hinders the photometric determination of ages and extinctions in these cases. The cluster radial velocities indicate that the clusters are located at different depths within the disk, and are on regular disk orbits. Our results overall contradict the findings of previous studies, where region B was thought to be a bound region populated by intermediate-age clusters that formed in an independent, offset starburst episode that commenced 600 Myr-1 Gyr ago. Our findings instead suggest that region B is optically bright because of low extinction patches, and this allows us to view the cluster population of the inner M82 disk, which probably formed as a result of the last encounter with M81. This study forms part of a series of papers aimed at studying the cluster population of M82 using deep optical spectroscopy and multi-band photometry.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures; accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

    New evidence on the management of Lewy body dementia

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    This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordNote that the article title of the accepted author manuscript is different to that of the final published version.Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia, jointly known as Lewy body dementia (LBD), are common neurodegenerative conditions. Patients with LBD present with a wide range of cognitive, neuropsychiatric, sleep, motor, and autonomic symptoms. The expression of these varies between individual patients, and over time. Treatments may benefit one symptom, but at the expense of worsening another, making management difficult. Often symptoms are managed in isolation and by different specialists, which undermines high quality care. Clinical trials and meta-analyses now provide an improved evidence base for the treatment of cognitive, neuropsychiatric and motor symptoms in LBD, in addition to which expert consensus opinion supports the application of treatments from related conditions such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) for the management of, for example, autonomic symptoms. There remain however clear evidence gaps and there is a high need for future clinical trials focused on specific symptoms in LBD.National Institute for Health Research (NIHR

    Very Extended X-ray and H-alpha Emission in M82: Implications for the Superwind Phenomenon

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    We discuss the properties and implications of a 3.7x0.9 kpc region of spatially-coincident X-ray and H-alpha emission about 11.6 kpc to the north of the galaxy M82 previously discussed by Devine and Bally (1999). The PSPC X-ray spectrum is fit by thermal plasma (kT=0.80+-0.17 keV) absorbed by only the Galactic foreground column density. We evaluate the relationship of the X-ray/H-alpha ridge to the M82 superwind. The main properties of the X-ray emission can all be explained as being due to shock-heating driven as the superwind encounters a massive ionized cloud in the halo of M82. This encounter drives a slow shock into the cloud, which contributes to the excitation of the observed H-alpha emission. At the same time, a fast bow-shock develops in the superwind just upstream of the cloud, and this produces the observed X-ray emission. This interpretation would imply that the superwind has an outflow speed of roughly 800 km/s, consistent with indirect estimates based on its general X-ray properties and the kinematics of the inner kpc-scale region of H-alpha filaments. The gas in the M82 ridge is roughly two orders-of-magnitude hotter than the minimum "escape temperature" at this radius, so this gas will not be retained by M82. (abridged)Comment: 24 pages (latex), 3 figures (2 gif files and one postscript), accepted for publication in Part 1 of The Astrophysical Journa

    Multiple and Precessing Collimated Outflows in the Planetary Nebula IC 4634

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    With its remarkable double-S shape, IC 4634 is an archetype of point-symmetric planetary nebulae (PN). In this paper, we present a detailed study of this PN using archival HST WFPC2 and ground-based narrow-band images to investigate its morphology, and long-slit spectroscopic observations to determine its kinematics and to derive its physical conditions and excitation. The data reveal new structural components, including a distant string of knots distributed along an arc-like feature 40"-60" from the center of the nebula, a skin of enhanced [O III]/H-alpha ratio enveloping the inner shell and the double-S feature, and a triple-shell structure. The spatio-kinematical study also finds an equatorial component of the main nebula that is kinematically independent from the bright inner S-shaped arc. We have investigated in detail the bow shock-like features in IC 4634 and found that their morphological, kinematical and emission properties are consistent with the interaction of a collimated outflow with surrounding material. Indeed, the morphology and kinematics of some of these features can be interpreted using a 3D numerical simulation of a collimated outflow precessing at a moderate, time-dependent velocity. Apparently, IC 4634 has experienced several episodes of point-symmetric ejections oriented at different directions with the outer S-shaped feature being related to an earlier point-symmetric ejection and the outermost arc-like string of knots being the relic of an even much earlier point-symmetric ejection. There is tantalizing evidence that the action of these collimated outflows has also taken part in the shaping of the innermost shell and inner S-shaped arc of IC 4634.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

    The Large-scale Bipolar Wind in the Galactic Center

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    During a 9-month campaign (1996--1997), the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) satellite mapped the Galactic Plane at mid-infrared wavelengths (4.3--21.3um). Here we report evidence for a spectacular limb- brightened, bipolar structure at the Galactic Center extending more than a degree (170 pc at 8.0 kpc) on either side of the plane. The 8.3um emission shows a tight correlation with the 3, 6 and 11 cm continuum structure over the same scales. Dense gas and dust are being entrained in a large-scale bipolar wind powered by a central starburst. The inferred energy injection at the source is ~10^54/kappa erg for which \kappa is the covering fraction of the dusty shell (kappa <= 0.1). There is observational evidence for a galactic wind on much larger scales, presumably from the same central source which produced the bipolar shell seen by MSX. Sofue has argued that the North Polar Spur -- a thermal x-ray/radio loop which extends from the Galactic Plane to b = +80 deg -- was powered by a nuclear explosion (1-30 x 10^55 erg) roughly 15 Myr ago. We demonstrate that an open-ended bipolar wind (~10^55 erg), when viewed in near-field projection, provides the most natural explanation for the observed loop structure. The ROSAT 1.5 keV diffuse x-ray map over the inner 45 deg provides compelling evidence for this interpretation. Since the faint bipolar emission would be very difficult to detect beyond the Galaxy, the phenomenon of large-scale galactic winds may be far more common than has been observed to date.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figures, aastex. High resolution figures are available at ftp://www.aao.gov.au/pub/local/jbh/astro-ph/GC/. Astrophysical Journal, accepte

    Molecular Gas in M82: Resolving the Outflow and Streamers

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    We present a high-resolution (3.6'', 70pc) CO(1-0) mosaic of the molecular gas in M 82 covering an area of 2.5' x 3.5' (2.8kpc x 3.9kpc) obtained with the OVRO millimeter interferometer. The observations reveal the presence of huge amounts of molecular gas (> 70% of the total molecular mass, M_tot=1.3 x 10^9 M_sun) outside the central 1 kpc disk. Molecular streamers are detected in and below M82's disk out to distances from the center of 1.7 kpc. Some of these streamers are well correlated with optical absorption features; they form the basis of some of the prominent tidal HI features around M 82. This provides evidence that the molecular gas within M 82's optical disk is disrupted by the interaction with M 81. Molecular gas is found in M 82's outflow/halo, reaching distances up to 1.2 kpc below the plane; CO line-splitting has been detected for the first time in the outflow. The maximum outflow velocity is 230 km/s; we derive an opening angle of 55 deg for the molecular outflow cone. The total amount of gas in the outflow is >3 x 10^8 M_sun and its kinetic energy is of order 10^55 erg, about one percent of the estimated total mechanical energy input of M 82's starburst. Our study implies that extreme starburst environments can move significant amounts of molecular gas in to a galaxy's halo (and even to the intergalactic medium).Comment: accepted for publication in the ApJ Letters full PS file @ http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/~fwalter/walter_m82.p
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