Poster Presentation Astronomical Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting including HWWS 2013

Molecular Gas Dynamics near Sagittarius A* (#243)

John AP Lopez 1
  1. UNSW School of Physics, SYDNEY, NSW, Australia

Arguably one of the most important scientific advances in our understanding of black holes and galaxy formation is the discovery of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) associated with the radio source Sagittarius A*, at the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Results are presented here from molecular line emission on the kinematics and chemistry of clouds surrounding Sgr A* within a radius of ~ 0.2 degrees, which is within the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ). In particular, our data shows interesting chemistry in a cloud named: GC M-0.13-0.08 (Southern cloud / 20 kms-1 cloud), indicative of shocked gas and exposure to high levels of UV radiation. We discuss whether this is due to the general environment of Sgr A* or whether massive star formation is taking place in situ within the cloud.  These observations were undertaken at 3mm and 7mm with the NANTEN2 & Mopra radio telescopes.