The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society (천문학회보)
- Volume 40 Issue 2
- /
- Pages.35.3-35.3
- /
- 2015
- /
- 1226-2692(pISSN)
Evolution of the central molecular zone in interacting barred galaxies
- Hwang, Jeong-Sun (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University) ;
- Shin, Jihye (Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University) ;
- Chun, Kyungwon (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University) ;
- Kim, Sungsoo S. (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University)
- Published : 2015.10.15
Abstract
The central molecular zone (CMZ) is a region of rich molecular gas located in the inner few hundred parsecs in barred spiral galaxies. We study the size and morphology evolution of the CMZ of Milky Way-like galaxies both in isolation and in interaction by using N-body/hydrodynamic simulations. Specifically, we examine the gas flows and star formation activities in the central region of the galaxies. We focus in particular on the effects of galaxy interactions, including flybys and minor mergers, on the evolution of the CMZ.
Keywords