IRAS Observations of the Galactic Center
Open Access
- 1 January 1989
- journal article
- the large---scale-interstellar-medium
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Symposium - International Astronomical Union
- Vol. 136, 121-128
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s0074180900186401
Abstract
IRAS observations of the Galactic Center are presented. The maps at 12, 25, 60 and 100 μm have a typical resolution of a few arcmin and cover an area 6×2 deg2 centered on SgrA. All data have been corrected for the zodiacal light contamination and for the diffuse emission associated with the galactic disk. The infrared radiation originating in the Galactic Center arises from well-defined sources which can be identified with known radio sources and from an extended emission which accounts for most of the infrared luminosity. The total infrared luminosity associated with the Galactic Center (area 3°×2°) amounts to 109L⊙. The sources contribute 10% to this luminosity. A comparison with surveys in the radio continuum and in the near infrared is presented. Results are analyzed in terms of star formation history. In particular, it is suggested that the dominant heating source for the dust is the population of cool stars - K and M giants - comprising the galactic nucleus.Keywords
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