Ultraviolet Properties of Multi-phase Gas Toward the Inner Galaxy

TL;DR

This study uses HST/STIS spectroscopy of 16 stars in the Inner Galaxy to analyze multi-phase gas kinematics, revealing that a significant portion of gas exhibits disk-like co-rotation extending into the halo.

Contribution

First systematic multi-phase gas kinematic analysis in the Inner Galaxy using UV absorption lines across multiple gas phases.

Findings

Majority of gas components show co-rotation with the Galactic disk.

Multi-phase gas extends up to 1 kpc into the halo.

Provides a comprehensive database for modeling Galactic gas flows.

Abstract

We present a systematic study of the multi-phase interstellar gas in the Inner Galaxy using HST/STIS absorption spectroscopy of 16 massive stars located at spectroscopic distances between 1.3 and 10 kpc in the region $-30^\circ\lesssim l \lesssim+30^\circ$ and $-15^\circ\lesssim b \lesssim+15^\circ$. These sight lines probe gas above and below the Sagittarius Carina, Scutum Crux-Centaurus, Norma, and Near 3 kpc spiral arms in a range of $z$-height from 0 to 1.5 kpc. Along the 16 sight lines, we measure velocity centroids for 800 UV absorption-line components across multiple gas phases (molecular CO, neutral, low ion, and high ion). We find that 619/800 components have velocities that are consistent with a simple model of co-rotation with the disk, indicating that multi-phase gas with disk-like kinematics extends at least 1 kpc into the halo. We present a database of absorption-line parameters that can be used for kinematic modeling of gas flows into and out of the Galactic disk.