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Molecular clouds in the central 200 pc of the Galaxy (the ’Central Molecular Zone’) exhibit different (and more extreme) physical properties than those in the disk, yet because this is the closest galactic nucleus, detailed studies of this region can provide insight on galactic nuclei in general in the nearby universe. We have recently undertaken a high spatial and spectral resolution study of a sample of molecular clouds in this region to try to get a better understanding of their detailed properties and what mechanisms might be heating them. In this talk I will present a case study of one of the clouds - a dense and unusual cloud, GCM0.253+0.016 - also known as ’The Brick’. Observations were made using the Very Large Array in New Mexico, USA at K (24 to 26 GHz) and Ka (27 and 36 GHz) bands. I will describe results from sensitive continuum images and studies of 12 molecular lines, including 8 transitions of ammonia (NH3) and the abundant CH3OH maser. |
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