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arXiv astro-ph/0103416astro-ph
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小美杜莎合并中的分子潮汐尾

A Molecular Tidal Tail in the Medusa Minor Merger

S. Aalto, S. Huettemeister, A. G. Polatidis

摘要:

我们已经检测到CO 1-0排放沿潮汐尾巴的NGC 4194(美杜莎)合并。这是第一次在小并合的光尾探测到CO。在尾巴的中心和尖端都能检测到辐射。33“Onsala 20 m光束中的分子量估计为>= 8.5 x 10^7 M_{sun},至少是该系统中迄今为止测得的总分子量的4%。我们认为,排放是一个分子的潮汐尾巴,这是主体的扩展结构的一部分,和分子气体抛出的碰撞,而不是在原位形成的凝聚原子物质。我们发现这种发射不太可能与潮汐矮星系有关(即使将来可能形成这样的物体),但高分辨率的HI,CO和光学观测是解决这个问题所必需的。美杜莎很可能是椭圆+螺旋碰撞的结果,我们的探测支持了这样一种观点,即在较小的合并中,可以在距离合并中心很远的地方发现分子气体。

英文摘要:

We have detected CO 1-0 emission along the tidal tail of the NGC 4194 (the Medusa) merger. It is the first CO detection in the optical tail of a minor merger. Emission is detected both in the centre of the tail and at its tip. The molecular mass in the 33'' Onsala 20m beam is estimated to be >= 8.5 x 10^7 M_{sun} which is at least 4% of the total molecular mass measured so far in this system. We suggest that the emission is a molecular tidal tail which is part of the extended structure of the main body, and that the molecular gas was thrown out by the collision instead of having formed in situ from condensing atomic material. We find it unlikely that the emission is associated with a tidal dwarf galaxy (even if the future formation of such an object is possible), but high resolution HI, CO and optical observations are necessary to resolve the issue. The Medusa is very likely the result of an elliptical+spiral collison and our detection supports the notion that molecular gas in minor mergers can be found at great distances from the merger centre.

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