Discovery of a Double Circumnuclear Ring and Minibar in the Starburst Galaxy M83

Abstract

Our (J-K) color observations of the central regions of the starburst galaxy M83 reveal a double circumnuclear ring. The main dust lanes spiral into the outer nuclear ring at a radius of 150 pc. The two rings may coincide with two inner Lindblad resonances. The main hot spots occur in an arc that is between the rings. A dust bar that is offset 90° from the primary stellar bar connects the outer nuclear ring to the inner nuclear ring at a radius of 50 pc and may provide the path for gas to flow to the central starburst.