TY - JOUR
T1 - Aligned molecular clouds towards SS 433 and L = 348°.5
T2 - Possible evidence for a galactic "vapor trail" created by a relativistic jet
AU - Yamamoto, Hiroaki
AU - Ito, Shingo
AU - Ishigami, Shinji
AU - Fujishita, Motosuji
AU - Kawase, Tokuichi
AU - Kawamura, Akiko
AU - Mizuno, Norikazu
AU - Onishi, Toshikazu
AU - Mizuno, Akira
AU - McClure-Griffiths, Naomi M.
AU - Fukui, Yasuo
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - We carried out a detailed analysis of the NANTEN 12CO (J = 1-0) dataset in two large areas towards SS 433 (l ∼ 40°) and l ∼ 348°.5. In SS 433, we detected ten clouds, which are well aligned nearly along the axis of an X-ray jet emanating from SS 433 at VLSR = 42-56km s-1. The total length of the feature is ∼ 300 pc, three-times longer than that of the X-ray jet, at 3 kpc. Towards l ∼ 348°.5, we detected four aligned clouds at VLSR = -80-100 km s-1, nearly perpendicular to the Galactic plane. The total length of the feature is ∼ 400 pc at 6 kpc. In both cases, the CO clouds are distributed at | b | ∼ 1 °-5° and their alignments and coincidence in velocity should be rare, suggesting that they are physically associated. We present a scenario to explain these aligned clouds in which the interaction between a relativistic jet and the interstellar medium induced molecular cloud formation over the last ∼ 105-6yr. It is suggested that the timescale of the relativistic jet may be considerably larger, on the order of 105-6 yr, than previously thought in SS 433. The driving engine of the jet is obviously SS 433, itself, in SS 433, although the engine is not yet identified in l ∼ 348°.5 among possible several candidates detected in X-rays and TeV gamma rays.
AB - We carried out a detailed analysis of the NANTEN 12CO (J = 1-0) dataset in two large areas towards SS 433 (l ∼ 40°) and l ∼ 348°.5. In SS 433, we detected ten clouds, which are well aligned nearly along the axis of an X-ray jet emanating from SS 433 at VLSR = 42-56km s-1. The total length of the feature is ∼ 300 pc, three-times longer than that of the X-ray jet, at 3 kpc. Towards l ∼ 348°.5, we detected four aligned clouds at VLSR = -80-100 km s-1, nearly perpendicular to the Galactic plane. The total length of the feature is ∼ 400 pc at 6 kpc. In both cases, the CO clouds are distributed at | b | ∼ 1 °-5° and their alignments and coincidence in velocity should be rare, suggesting that they are physically associated. We present a scenario to explain these aligned clouds in which the interaction between a relativistic jet and the interstellar medium induced molecular cloud formation over the last ∼ 105-6yr. It is suggested that the timescale of the relativistic jet may be considerably larger, on the order of 105-6 yr, than previously thought in SS 433. The driving engine of the jet is obviously SS 433, itself, in SS 433, although the engine is not yet identified in l ∼ 348°.5 among possible several candidates detected in X-rays and TeV gamma rays.
KW - ISM: clouds
KW - ISM: jets and outflows
KW - Radio lines: ISM
KW - Starts: Individual (SS 433)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=52049117461&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/pasj/60.4.715
DO - 10.1093/pasj/60.4.715
M3 - Article
SN - 0004-6264
VL - 60
SP - 715
EP - 729
JO - Publication of the Astronomical Society of Japan
JF - Publication of the Astronomical Society of Japan
IS - 4
ER -