A dynamical model for hot gas in the Galactic center

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Abstract

Winds from massive stars supply ∼10 -3 M⊙ yr -1 of gas to the central parsec of the Galactic center. I present spherically symmetric hydrodynamic simulations of the dynamics of this gas. These calculations show that a few percent of the gas, or ∼few o. 10 -5 M⊙ yr-1, flows in toward the central massive black hole Sgr A*; the remaining gas, ∼ 10-3 M⊙ yr-1, is thermally driven out of the central star cluster in a wind. This dynamical model accounts for the level of diffuse X-ray emission observed in the central 10" of the Galactic center by Chandra and the extended X-ray source coincident with Sgr A*; the latter is a signature of gas being gravitationally captured by the black hole.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)322-325
Number of pages4
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume613
Issue number1 I
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 20 2004
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

  • Accretion
  • Accretion disks
  • Galaxy: center

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