GBT19A-326
Detecting molecular gas in the giant low surface brightness galaxy Malin 1
Abstract
We propose to detect CO(1-0) in the giant low surface brightness galaxy Malin 1 using GBT/ARGUS. Malin 1 is the largest low surface brightness (LSB) disk galaxies and the one of largest spiral in the universe. Yet, it lacks CO detection or any other tracer of molecular gas even after many observational efforts with single dish telescopes. Recent work has revealed that Malin 1 has a gigantic system of diffuse spiral arms, providing valuable information about the regions in the galaxy where the molecular gas is likely present. In this proposal we request 32 hrs of GBT/ARGUS to search for CO, yielding 5-sigma sensitivity of 0.2 K km/s per beam. In our two principal target locations, we will achieve a mass sensitivity ~1.1e8 Msun per beam, a factor of 20 less than earlier searches. We will also produce a deep disk-averaged CO spectrum based on the full ARGUS array. If we detect CO we will finally have a clear idea of the molecular gas content in this galaxy, covering star formation-gas density regimes never explored in any spiral galaxy. It would open the window to new discoveries about the properties of such a peculiar interstellar medium.
Investigators
| Name | Institution |
|---|---|
| Gaspar Galaz * | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile |
| Dave Frayer | Green Bank Observatory |
| Michelle Berg | Texas at Austin, University of; University of Notre Dame |
| J. Christopher Howk | University of Notre Dame |
| Sarah Church | Stanford University |
| Thomas Puzia | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile |
| Katerine Joachimi | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile |
* indicates the PI