paper

Spatially Resolved Chemistry in Nearby Galaxies II. The Nuclear Bar in Maffei 2

arXiv:1206.4098 · doi:10.1088/0004-637X/755/2/104

Abstract

We present 2" - 10" imaging of eleven transitions from nine molecular species across the nuclear bar in Maffei 2. The data were obtained with the BIMA and OVRO interferometers. The ten detected transitions are compared with existing CO isotopologues, HCN, CS and millimeter continuum data. Dramatic spatial variations among the mapped species are observed across the nuclear bar. A principle component analysis is performed to characterize correlations between the transitions, star formation and molecular column density. The analysis reveals that HCN, HNC, HCO+ and 3 mm continuum are tightly correlated, indicating a direct connection to massive star formation. We find two main morphologically distinct chemical groups, CH3OH, SiO and HNCO comprising the grain chemistry molecules, versus HCN, HNC, HCO+ and C2H, molecules strong in the presence of star formation. The grain chemistry molecules, HNCO, CH3OH and SiO, trace hydrodynamical bar shocks. The near constancy of the HNCO/CH3OH, SiO/CH3OH and SiO/HNCO ratios argue that shock properties are uniform across the nucleus. HCN/HCO+, HCN/HNC, HCN/CS and HCN/CO ratios are explained primarily by variations in density. High HCO+/N2H+ ratios are correlated with the C2H line, suggesting that this ratio may be a powerful new dense photon-dominated region (PDR) probe in external galaxies. C2H reveals a molecular outflow along the minor axis. The morphology and kinematics of the outflow are consistent with an outflow age of 6-7 Myrs.

26 pages, 11 figures; Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal

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