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Mid-Infrared Emission from the Galactic Center

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The Center, Bulge, and Disk of the Milky Way

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 180))

Abstract

New images of the central parsec of the Galaxy made with a 58 × 62 pixel array camera system at eight wavelengths between 5 and 18 µm provide a fresh perspective on physical conditions in the remarkable luminous dust and gas cloud complex at the Galactic Center. Simple array arithmetic with the images is used to calculate the color temperature and opacity of the emitting dust, and the silicate extinction distribution, with 1 arcsecond spatial resolution and sub-aresecoud astrometric accuracy. The infrared array images are compared to radio continuum maps of ionized gas emission and re-analyzed NeII velocity data. Fully sampled imaging polarization observations at. 12.4 pin are used to determine the influence and spatial arrangement of individual sources near the Galactic Center. We establish a direct physical connection between dust. color temperature or 12.4 tem emission features and recently detected helium 1 emission line stars (Krabbe ct al. 1992). The lief stars are found to be co-located with the dust clouds, either as embedded luminous objects providing internal heating or as nearby external heat sources, and can account for the observed luminosity of Sgr A West. The present observational picture does not require that. an exotic “central engine” he invoked to account for the infrared luminosity of the Galactic Center.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 685, Greenbelt, M D, 20771, USA

    Dan Gezari

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  1. Dan Gezari
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Millimeter-wave Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

    Leo Blitz

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© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Gezari, D. (1992). Mid-Infrared Emission from the Galactic Center. In: Blitz, L. (eds) The Center, Bulge, and Disk of the Milky Way. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 180. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2813-1_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2813-1_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5250-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-2813-1

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