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Detection of CO emission from S0 galaxies

DOI

60

Citations

0

References

1989

Year

Leslie J. Sage, J. M. Wrobel
The Astrophysical Journal

Abstract

An IRAS-selected sample of 11 optically bright S0 galaxies was searched for ^12^CO J = 1 -> 0 (115 GHz) emission. Five were detected at levels of ~5 σ or greater in integrated line intensity. These detections contradict the traditional view that S0 galaxies are devoid of molecular gas. This gas likely serves as fuel for the current star formation inferred from recent far-infrared and radio continuum studies. The molecular gas could be residual, left over from galaxy formation but enriched by stellar processing; or it could originate from stellar mass loss and subsequent cooling, cooling flows, and/or capture from a gas-rich companion.