Shock Excited Molecules in NGC 1266 : ULIRG Conditions at the Center of a Bulge-dominated Galaxy

Pellegrini, E.W., Smith, J.D., Wolfire, M.G., Draine, B.T., Crocker, A.F., Croxall, K.V., van der Werf, P., Dale, D.A., Rigopoulou, D., Wilson, C.D., Schinnerer, E., Groves, B.A., Kreckel, K., Sandstrom, K.M., Armus, L., Calzetti, D., Murphy, E. J., Walter, F., Koda, J., Bayet, E., Beirao, P., Bolatto, A. D., Bradford, M., Brinks, E., Hunt, L., Kennicutt, R., Knapen, J.H., Leroy, A.K., Rosolowsky, E., Vigroux, L. and Hopwood, R.H.B. (2013) Shock Excited Molecules in NGC 1266 : ULIRG Conditions at the Center of a Bulge-dominated Galaxy. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 779 (2). L19. ISSN 2041-8205

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We investigate the far infrared (IR) spectrum of NGC 1266, a S0 galaxy that contains a massive reservoir of highly excited molecular gas. Using the Herschel Fourier Transform Spectrometer, we detect the 12CO ladder up to J = (13-12), [C I] and [N II] lines, and also strong water lines more characteristic of UltraLuminous IR Galaxies (ULIRGs). The 12CO line emission is modeled with a combination of a low-velocity C-shock and a photodissociation region. Shocks are required to produce the H2O and most of the high-J CO emission. Despite having an IR luminosity 30 times less than a typical ULIRG, the spectral characteristics and physical conditions of the interstellar medium of NGC 1266 closely resemble those of ULIRGs, which often harbor strong shocks and large-scale outflows

Item Type	Article
Keywords	galaxies: individual: ngc 1266, infrared: ism, ism: jets and outflows, ism: lines and bands, ism: molecules, photon-dominated region: pdr
Date Deposited	15 May 2025 12:44
Last Modified	30 May 2025 23:56