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Powering the superwind in NGC 253NGC 253 is a prototypical moderate nuclear starburst galaxy. It is a barred SBc spiral galaxy at a distance of approximately 3 Mpc and can be studied on scales down to 15 pc in the optical and near IR. It is a bright IRAS source with a flux of 1000 Jy at 60 microns and a FIR luminosity of 3 x 10(exp 10) solar luminosity. It has a strong Br(gamma) emission line, a signature of ongoing massive star formation and deep CO absorption bands, which are indicative of the dominance of red supergiants in the near IR. It contains a population of compact radio sources, similar to those seen in M82. Optical spectra show that the nucleus is heavily reddened, with a Balmer decrement of approximately 30. NGC 253 possesses a 'superwind,' seen both in x-ray emission and in optical line emission. Nuclear ejection was first suggested to explain the kinematics of the nuclear region. We have obtained J, H, and K images of the entire galaxy at 1.3 arcsec/pixel (18 pc/pixel) using the superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) on the KPNO 1.3 m. We have constructed a mosaic of 180 s exposures which traces the galaxy over much of its optical extent. The data were shifted, rotated, magnified, and calibrated following normal practice.
Document ID
19930017704
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Watson, Alan (Wisconsin Univ. Madison, WI, United States)
Gallagher, Jay (Wisconsin Univ. Madison, WI, United States)
Merrill, Michael (Kitt Peak National Observatory Tucson, AZ., United States)
Keppel, Jean (Keppel, Jean, Prescott AZ., United States)
Phillips, Mark (Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory La Serena, Chile)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: NASA. Ames Research Center, The Evolution of Galaxies and Their Environment
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
93N26893
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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IDRelationTitle19930017517Collected WorksThe Evolution of Galaxies and Their Environment
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