A galactic vacuum cleaner?
Abstract
A REMARKABLE feature of the distributions of CO, H2, HI, HII and dust in the Galaxy is that their most dense regions form a broad ring-like structure surrounding the galactic centre, along with a dense nuclear disk located at the centre1-4. Between the ring and the nuclear disk there exists a region of very low density. The radius of the nuclear disk is approximately 600 pc, and the ring extends from an inner radius of 2-4 kpc out to a radius greater than 15 kpc for HI, but to only 8-10 kpc for the interstellar components expected to be generated by spiral shocks (namely CO, H2 and HII). We point out here that this structure is a possible consequence of a postulated stellar bar at the centre of the galaxy.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- April 1977
- DOI:
- 10.1038/266607a0
- Bibcode:
- 1977Natur.266..607M
- Keywords:
-
- Cosmic Dust;
- Galactic Nuclei;
- Galactic Structure;
- Interstellar Gas;
- Milky Way Galaxy;
- Galactic Mass;
- Galactic Rotation;
- Leading Edges;
- Mass Distribution;
- Radial Velocity;
- Spiral Galaxies;
- Star Distribution;
- Trailing Edges;
- Astrophysics