Abstract
We present Spitzer high-resolution spectra of off-nuclear regions in the central cluster galaxies NGC 1275 and NGC 4696 in the Perseus and Centaurus clusters, respectively. Both objects are surrounded by extensive optical emission-line filamentary nebulae, bright outer parts of which are the targets of our observations. The 10–37 μm spectra show strong pure-rotational lines from molecular hydrogen revealing a molecular component to the filaments which has an excitation temperature of ∼300−400 K. The flux in the 0−0 S(1) molecular hydrogen line correlates well with the strength of the optical lines, having about 3 per cent of the Hα+[N II] emission. The 11.3-μm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon feature is seen in some spectra. Emission is also seen from both low- and high-ionization fine-structure lines. Molecular hydrogen cooler than ∼400 K dominates the mass of the outer filaments; the nebulae are predominantly molecular.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2007
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.12460.x
Repository Citation
Johnstone, R. M.; Hatch, N. A.; Ferland, Gary J.; Fabian, A. C.; Crawford, C. S.; and Wilman, R. J., "Discovery of Atomic and Molecular Mid-Infrared Emission Lines in Off-Nuclear Regions of NGC 1275 and NGC 4696 with the Spitzer Space Telescope" (2007). Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications. 43.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/physastron_facpub/43
Notes/Citation Information
Published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 382, issue 3, p. 1246-1260.
This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ©: 2007 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
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