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The thermal state of molecular clouds in the Galactic center: evidence for non-photon-driven heating

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2014

Y. Ao ,
C. Henkel ,
K. M. Menten ,
M. A. Requena-Torres ,
T. Stanke ,
R. Mauersberger ,
S. Aalto ,
S. Mühle  and
J. Mangum
Y. Ao
Affiliation:
MPIfR, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
C. Henkel
Affiliation:
MPIfR, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany Astron. Dept., King Abdulaziz Univ., P. O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
K. M. Menten
Affiliation:
MPIfR, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany
M. A. Requena-Torres
Affiliation:
MPIfR, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany
T. Stanke
Affiliation:
ESO, Karl-Schwarzschild Strasse 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany
R. Mauersberger
Affiliation:
Joint ALMA Observatory, Av. Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile
S. Aalto
Affiliation:
Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Observatory, 439 94 Onsala, Sweden
S. Mühle
Affiliation:
Argelander-Institut für Astronomie, Universität Bonn, Auf dem Hügel 71, 53121 Bonn, Germany
J. Mangum
Affiliation:
National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Rd., Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
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Abstract

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We have used the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) 12 m telescope at 218 GHz to observe molecular clouds simultaneously in the JKaKc = 303→202, 322→221, and 321→220 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.

Keywords

galaxy: center – interstellar medium: clouds – ISM: molecules – radio lines: ISM
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 9 , Symposium S303: The Galactic Center: Feeding and Feedback in a Normal Galactic Nucleus , October 2013 , pp. 89 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2014 

References

Papadopoulos, P. P. 2010, ApJ 720, 226CrossRefGoogle Scholar