Properties of dense molecular gas along the major axis of M 82

TL;DR

This study investigates the spatial variation of dense molecular gas properties along M82's major axis using optically-thin tracers, revealing differences in optical depths and nitrogen isotope ratios that inform starburst galaxy evolution.

Contribution

It provides the first spatially-resolved analysis of optically-thin dense gas tracers in M82, highlighting variations in optical depths and isotope ratios across the galaxy.

Findings

Higher optical depths in the central region compared to the disk.

Optical depths of HCO+ are systematically higher than HCN.

Nitrogen isotope ratios increase from the galaxy center to the outer disk.

Abstract

Dense gas is important for galaxy evolution and star formation. Optically-thin dense-gas tracers, such as isotopologues of HCN, HCO+, etc., are very helpful to diagnose excitation conditions of dense molecular gas. However, previous studies of optically-thin dense-gas tracers were mostly focusing on average properties of galaxies as a whole, due to limited sensitivity and angular resolution. M82, a nearby prototype starburst galaxy, offers a unique case for spatially-resolved studies with single-dish telescopes. With the IRAM 30-m telescope, we observed the J = 1 - 0 transition of H13CN, HC15N, H13CO+, HN13C, H15NC, and SiO J = 2 - 1, HC3N J= 10 - 9, H2CO J = 2 - 1 toward five positions along the major axis of M82. The intensity ratios of I(HCN)/I(H13CN) and I(HCO+)/I(H13CO+) show a significant spatial variation along the major axis, with lower values in the central region than those on the disk, indicating higher optical depths in the central region. The optical depths of HCO+ lines are found to be systematically higher than those of HCN lines at all positions. Futhermore, we find that the 14N/15N ratios have an increasing gradient from the center to the outer disk.