The Galactic Center: Not an Active Galactic Nucleus

  • Published : 2013.04.11

Abstract

We present $10{\mu}m-35{\mu}m$ Spitzer spectra of the interstellar medium in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), the central 210 pc ${\times}$ 60 pc of the Galactic center (GC). We present maps of the CMZ in ionic and $H_2$ emission, covering a more extensive area than earlier spectroscopic surveys in this region. The radial velocities and intensities of ionic lines and $H_2$ suggest that most of the $H_2$ 0-0 S(0) emission comes from gas along the line-of-sight, as found by previous work. We compare diagnostic line ratios measured in the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS) to our data. Previous work shows that forbidden line ratios can distinguish star-forming galaxies from LINERs and AGNs. Our GC line ratios agree with star-forming galaxies and not with LINERs or AGNs.

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