Relationship Between Dense Gas and Total Infrared Luminosity Along Spiral Arms in M51
Abstract
We investigate the relationship between the dense molecular gas tracer, HCN (J=1-0), luminosity and total infrared luminosity in nearby grand design spiral, M51. Previous work has shown a near linear correlation between the total infrared luminosity and HCN luminosity between Galactic dense cores and spirals and starburst galaxies. This relationship spans over seven orders of magnitude. Our aim is to test this relationship using intermediate points with HCN luminosities larger than galactic dense cores and smaller than that of total spiral and starburst galaxies. The linear correlation between HCN and total infrared luminosity continues to hold for gas along spiral arms in M51, suggesting that HCN is tracing the gas most relevant for star formation. The HCN emission was mapped using interferometric observations from the Owens Valley Radio Observatory and Combined Array for Research in Millimeter Astronomy. We compare the total recovered HCN emission to single dish maps taken with the Green Bank Telescope. Total infrared maps are made from Spitzer MIPS 24 micron and Hershel PACS 70micron and 160 micron maps.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #223
- Pub Date:
- January 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014AAS...22311704L