Published September 1989 | Version v1
Journal article

Detection of CO emission from S0 galaxies

  • 1. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro (USA)

Description

An IRAS-selected sample of 11 optically bright S0 galaxies was searched for (C-12)O J = 1-0 (115-GHz) emission. Five were detected at levels of 5Sigma or greater in integrated line intensity. These detections contradict the traditional view that S0 galaxies are devoid of molecular gas. This gas likely serves as fuel for the current star formation inferred from recent FIR and radio-continuum studies. The molecular gas could be residual, left over from galaxy formation but enriched by stellar processing, or it could originate from stellar mass loss and subsequent cooling, cooling flows, and/or capture from a gas-rich companion. 48 refs

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal
Journal Volume
344
Series
Astrophys. J.
Journal Page Range
204-209
ISSN
0004-637X
CODEN
ASJOA