paper

[CI] and CO in the center of M 51

arXiv:astro-ph/0509492 · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20053096

Abstract

We present J=2-1, J=3-2, J=4-3 12CO maps as well as J=2-1, J=3-2 13CO and 492 GHz [CI] measurements of the central region in M51. The distribution of CO is strongly concentrated towards the spiral arms. The center itself is poor in, though not devoid of, CO emission. The observed line intensities require modelling with a multi-component molecular gas. A dense component must be present with n(H2) = 1000 cm-3 and kinetic temperature T(kin)= 100 K, combined with either a less dense (about 100 cm-3) component of the same temperature, or a more dense (n(H2) = 3000 cm-3) and much cooler (T(kin) = 10-30 K) component. Atomic carbon amounts are between 5 and 10 times those of CO. Much of the molecular gas mass is associated with the hot PDR phase. The center of M 51 has a face-on gas mass density of about 40+/-20 M(O) pc-2, and a well-established CO-to-H2 conversion ratio X four to five times lower than the standard Galactic value.

Accepted for publication by A&A

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