Resolved Structure of the Arp 220 Nuclei at λ ≈ 3 mm

Journal article, 2017

We analyze the 3 mm emission of the ultraluminous infrared galaxy Arp 220 for the spatially resolved structure and the spectral properties of the merger nuclei. ALMA archival data at ∼0.″05 resolution are used for extensive visibility fitting and deep imaging of the continuum emission. The data are fitted well by two concentric components for each nucleus, such as two Gaussians or one Gaussian plus one exponential disk. The larger components in the individual nuclei are similar in shape and extent, ∼100-150 pc, to the centimeter wave emission due to supernovae. They are therefore identified with the known starburst nuclear disks. The smaller components in both nuclei have about a few 10 pc sizes and peak brightness temperatures (Tb) more than twice higher than those in previous single-Gaussian fitting. They correspond to the dust emission that we find centrally concentrated in both nuclei by subtracting the plasma emission measured at 33 GHz. The dust emission in the western nucleus is found to have a peak Tb ≈ 530 K and an FWHM of about 20 pc. This component is estimated to have a bolometric luminosity on the order of 1012.5,Lo˙ and a 20 pc scale luminosity surface density 1015.5, Lo˙ kpc-2. A luminous active galactic nucleus is a plausible energy source for these high values while other explanations remain to be explored. Our continuum image also reveals a third structural component of the western nucleus - a pair of faint spurs perpendicular to the disk major axis. We attribute it to a bipolar outflow from the highly inclined (i ≈ 60°) western nuclear disk.