Abstract
We observed CO J = 1-0 and HCN J = 1-0 line emission toward a high-velocity, compact molecular cloud, CO 0.02-0.02, near the center of our Galaxy, using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array (NMA). A CO velocity-integrated map with a resolution of 4.″3 × 2.″4 shows two oval clumps with sizes of 0.8 pc. These clumps are seperated by 1.2 pc, being located at the eastern and southwestern peripheries of the CO 0.02-0.02 cloud. The overall distribution of HCN emission coincides with that taken with the Nobeyama 45 m telescope. The HCN velocity-integrated map with a resolution of 6.″ × 3.″4 shows two prominent peaks in the cloud center. Both NMA maps at VLSR ∼ 110km s-1 show an arc-shaped edge in the southeast, which may correspond to the edge of the "emission cavity" found in the CO J = 3-2 integrated-intesity map. We also noticed a faint radio continuum "arc" that encircles the bulk of the CO 0.02-0.02 cloud. These results support the notion that CO 0.02-0.02 has been accelerated, heated, and compressed in a series of supernova shocks that occurred within the last (3-5) × 104 yr. We suggest that a massive compact cluster with an age of 10-30 Myr is responsible for the formation of the CO 0.02-0.02 cloud.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 429-434 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan |
Volume | 60 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2008 |
Keywords
- Galaxies: nuclei
- Galaxy: center
- ISM: clouds
- ISM: molecules
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science