AST/RO CO (4-3) Observations of the Central Kiloparsec of the Milky Way

Session 58 - Future of Antarctic Astrophysics.
Display session, Wednesday, June 10
Atlas Ballroom,

[58.05] AST/RO CO (4-3) Observations of the Central Kiloparsec of the Milky Way

T. M. Bania, A. D. Bolatto, M. Huang, J. G. Ingalls, J. M. Jackson (Boston U.), G. W. Wright (Lucent Tech.), A. P. Lane, M. Rumitz, R. W. Wilson, A. A. Stark, X. Zhang (SAO)

We have imaged the CO 4-3 line, the dominant coolant of the dense molecular interstellar medium, from the Galactic Center region, between l=-3 to 4 degrees and b= -1 to 1 degrees. We detect bright CO 4-3 emission from the well-known Galactic Center clouds Sgr A, Sgr B, Sgr C, and Sgr D. We compare the CO 4-3 intensities with CO 1-0, C18O 1-0, HCN 1-0, and HCO+ 1-0 from the literature to infer excitation conditions. The CO 4-3 traces fairly warm, dense gas with opacities near unity. We also detect CO 4-3 absorption at V= 0 km/s along the line of sight toward the Galactic Center.

This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under a cooperative agreement with the Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica (CARA), grant number NSF OPP 89-20223. CARA is a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center.

The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: bania@ninkasi.bu.edu

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