Spitzer-IRS mapping of the inner kpc of NGC 253: Spatial distribution of the Ne III, PAH 11.3 microns and H2 (0-0) S(1) lines and a gradient in the Ne III/Ne II line ratio

Abstract

We present our early results of the mapping of the nucleus of the starburst galaxy NGC 253 and its immediate surroundings using the Infrared Spectrograph onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope. The map is centered on the nucleus of the galaxy and spans the inner 800 x 688 pc2. The spatial distribution of the \neiii line at 15.55 microns and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons feature at 11.3 microns peaks at the center while the purely rotationnal transition of molecular hydrogen at 17.03 microns is strong over several slit positions. We perform a brief investigation of the implications of these measurement on the properties of the star formation in this region using theories developped to explain the deficiency of massive stars in starbursts.

arXiv comment17 pages, 5 figures ApJ accepted

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• Neon Fine-Structure Line Emission By X-ray Irradiated Protoplanetary Disks
• Local Luminous Infrared Galaxies. I. Spatially resolved observations with Spitzer/IRS
• H_2 Pure Rotational Lines in the Orion Bar
• The Temperature Distribution of Dense Molecular Gas in the Center of NGC 253
• The Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey: A High-Resolution Spectroscopy Anthology
• Spitzer-IRS Spectroscopy of the Prototypical Starburst Galaxy NGC7714
• PAH emission variations within the resolved starbursts of NGC253 and NGC1808
• Exploring the early dust-obscured phase of galaxy formation with blind mid-/far-IR spectroscopic surveys
• Spitzer IRS Spectral Mapping of the Toomre Sequence: Spatial Variations of PAH, Gas, and Dust Properties in Nearby Major Mergers
• Powerful H${}_2$ Emission and Star Formation on the Interacting Galaxy System Arp 143: Observations with Spitzer and GALEX
• The Energetics of Molecular Gas in NGC 891 from H2 and FIR Spectroscopy
• Local Luminous Infrared Galaxies: Spatially resolved mid-infrared observations with Spitzer/IRS
• Far-infrared line and dust emission from H II regions and photodissociation regions