Scientific Highlights with the SMA

High resolution map of Seyfert 1/ starburst ring galaxy NGC 1097

The SMA has been playing an important role in studying extragalactic objects. One of our targets is the Seyfert 1/ starburst ring galaxy NGC 1097. The CO 2–1 image at 1.5" x 1.0" (105 x 70 pc) resolution shows a central concentration and a ring-like structure at a radius of ~10” (700 pc). The high resolution map obtained with the SMA for the first time resolves the molecular ring into individual clumps at giant molecular association (GMA) scale of 200–300 pc. The morphology of the molecular gas is tightly correlated to the optical features.

Open the larger image

Left - CO(J = 2-1) integrated map (contours) overlaid on the archival HST I-band image (color). Right - HST NICMOS Pa α line image (color) overlaid on the CO(J = 2-1) contour (Hsieh et al. 2011, ApJ, 736, 129).