Shunya Takekawa, Tomoharu Oka, Shiho Tsujimoto, Hiroki Yokozuka, Nanase Harada, Miyuki Kaneko, Rei Enokiya and Yuhei Iwata
{"title":"Parabolic-like Trend in SiO Ratios throughout the Central Molecular Zone: Possible Signature of a Past Nuclear Activity in the Galactic Center","authors":"Shunya Takekawa, Tomoharu Oka, Shiho Tsujimoto, Hiroki Yokozuka, Nanase Harada, Miyuki Kaneko, Rei Enokiya and Yuhei Iwata","doi":"10.3847/2041-8213/ad6c51","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"We report the discovery of a characteristic trend in the intensity ratios of SiO emissions across the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) of our Galaxy. Using the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45 m telescope, we conducted large-scale, high-sensitivity imaging observations in molecular lines including SiO J = 2–1 and CS J = 2–1. By identifying SiO-emitting clouds and examining their intensity ratios relative to the other molecular lines, we unveiled a parabolic-like trend showing lower ratios near the Galactic nucleus, Sgr A*, with gradual increases toward the edges of the CMZ. This pattern suggests a possible outburst of the nucleus within the last ∼105 yr, which may have propagated through the entire CMZ with strong shocks. Alternatively, the observed trend may also be attributed to the destruction of small dust grains by high-energy photons. Our results can potentially lead to a new perspective on the history of nuclear activity and its impact on the surrounding molecular environment.","PeriodicalId":501814,"journal":{"name":"The Astrophysical Journal Letters","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"The Astrophysical Journal Letters","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad6c51","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We report the discovery of a characteristic trend in the intensity ratios of SiO emissions across the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) of our Galaxy. Using the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45 m telescope, we conducted large-scale, high-sensitivity imaging observations in molecular lines including SiO J = 2–1 and CS J = 2–1. By identifying SiO-emitting clouds and examining their intensity ratios relative to the other molecular lines, we unveiled a parabolic-like trend showing lower ratios near the Galactic nucleus, Sgr A*, with gradual increases toward the edges of the CMZ. This pattern suggests a possible outburst of the nucleus within the last ∼105 yr, which may have propagated through the entire CMZ with strong shocks. Alternatively, the observed trend may also be attributed to the destruction of small dust grains by high-energy photons. Our results can potentially lead to a new perspective on the history of nuclear activity and its impact on the surrounding molecular environment.