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CO J = 10 observations of the Circinus galaxy using the Mopra 22-m radio-telescope

M. Elmouttie
R.F. Haynes
K.L. Jones

The Physics Dept., The University of Queensland, QLD 4072, Australia
The Australia Telescope National Facility, CSIRO, P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 2121, Australia

Abstract:

The J = 1-0 rotational transition of carbon monoxide has been used to trace the molecular gas at 5 different positions in the Circinus galaxy using the Australia Telescope National Facility's 22-m radio-telescope at Mopra. The intensity profile of the central CO emission has a full width at half maximum of 550 pc. The CO (1-0) spectrum at the centre of the galaxy has an integrated temperature of 145 K kms , with components peaking at 0.62 K and ranging in velocity from 200 - 600 kms . The total mass of molecular gas in the Circinus galaxy, assuming the CO intensity profile of the galaxy is similar to the radio continuum, is at least 7.5 4.1 10 M. This estimate, combined with previously published far infra-red data, yields a value for the star forming efficiency, SFE = 16 9 LM .

keywords: galaxies: Circinus - active nuclei, spiral, Seyfert

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