The Extended CO J = 1-0 Emission in NGC 253

Sally Houghton (UNSW), John B. Whiteoak (ATNF), Bärbel Koribalski (ATNF),
Roy Booth (Onsala), Tom Wiklind (Onsala), Richard Wielebinski (MPIfR)

(1997), A&A 325, 923

Abstract. The distribution of 12CO(1-0) has been mapped over the spiral galaxy NGC 253 using the Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope (SEST). Emission was found to extend 22.4 arcmin along the major axis and to be concentrated towards the nucleus with an LSR systemic velocity of 235 km/s. The CO intensity and velocity distribution suggests three subsystems: a dense, highly-rotating nuclear cloud, a warped disk (at position angle 63 degr) extending 150 arcsec each side of the nucleus containing a bar or spiral arms, and an outer disk with a position angle of 52 degr. The total gas mass derived for the full extent is 2.4 x 10^9 Msun, about 2 % of the calculated dynamic mass of 10.5 x 10^10 Msun.

Keywords. galaxies: individual (NGC 253) - galaxies: molecular gas



More info:

--> Movie of a rotating cube of NGC 253


Baerbel.Koribalski @ csiro.au