The thermal state of molecular clouds in the Galactic center: evidence for non-photon-driven heating
Journal article, 2014
We have used the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) 12 m telescope at 218 GHz to observe molecular clouds simultaneously in the J_KA,Kc=3_03→2_02,3_22→2_21,and 3_21→2_20 transitions of para-H2CO to determine kinetic temperatures of the dense gas in the central molecular zone of the Galaxy. Gas kinetic temperatures for individual molecular clouds range from 55 to 125 K or even higher. The molecular clouds at high temperatures may be heated by turbulent dissipation and/or cosmic-rays
Galaxy: center – interstellar medium: clouds – ISM: molecules – radio lines: ISM
Author
Y. Ao
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Max Planck Society
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
C. Henkel
Max Planck Society
King Abdulaziz University
K. M. Menten
Max Planck Society
M. A. Requena-Torres
Max Planck Society
T. Stanke
European Southern Observatory (ESO)
R. Mauersberger
Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA)
Susanne Aalto
Chalmers, Earth and Space Sciences, Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics
S. Muhle
University of Bonn
J. G. Mangum
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
1743-9213 (ISSN) 1743-9221 (eISSN)
Vol. 9 S303 89-91Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Roots
Basic sciences
Infrastructure
Onsala Space Observatory
DOI
10.1017/S1743921314000234