Molecular loops in the galactic center: evidence for magnetic flotation.
The central few hundred parsecs of the Milky Way host a massive black hole and exhibit very violent gas motion and high temperatures in molecular gas. The origin of these properties has been a mystery for the past four decades. Wide-field imaging of the (12)CO (rotational quantum number J = 1 to 0) 2.6-millimeter spectrum has revealed huge loops of dense molecular gas with strong velocity dispersions in the galactic center. We present a magnetic flotation model to explain that the formation of the loops is due to magnetic buoyancy caused by the Parker instability. The model has the potential to offer a coherent explanation for the origin of the violent motion and extensive heating of the molecular gas in the galactic center.
Fukui
Yasuo
Y
Department of Astrophysics, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan. fukui@a.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Yamamoto
Hiroaki
H
Fujishita
Motosuji
M
Kudo
Natsuko
N
Torii
Kazufumi
K
Nozawa
Satoshi
S
Takahashi
Kunio
K
Matsumoto
Ryoji
R
Machida
Mami
M
Kawamura
Akiko
A
Yonekura
Yoshinori
Y
Mizuno
Norikazu
N
Onishi
Toshikazu
T
Mizuno
Akira
A