The central dusty torus in the active nucleus of NGC 1068.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	The central dusty torus in the active nucleus of NGC 1068.
Authors:	Jaffe, W., Meisenheimer, K., Röttgering, H. J. A., Leinert, Ch., Richichi, A., Chesneau, O., Fraix-Burnet, D., Glazenborg-Kluttig, A., Granato, G. -L., Grasser, U., Heijligers, B., Köhler, R., Malbet, F., Miley, G. K., Paresce, F., Pel, J. -W., Perrin, G., Przygodda, F., Schoeller, M.
Source:	Nature. 5/6/2004, Vol. 429 Issue 6987, p47-49. 3p.
Subjects:	Active galactic nuclei, X-rays, Infrared astronomy, Galaxies, Astronomical instruments, Astronomy
Abstract:	Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) display many energetic phenomena–broad emission lines, X-rays, relativistic jets, radio lobes–originating from matter falling onto a supermassive black hole. It is widely accepted that orientation effects play a major role in explaining the observational appearance of AGNs. Seen from certain directions, circum-nuclear dust clouds would block our view of the central powerhouse. Indirect evidence suggests that the dust clouds form a parsec-sized torus-shaped distribution. This explanation, however, remains unproved, as even the largest telescopes have not been able to resolve the dust structures. Here we report interferometric mid-infrared observations that spatially resolve these structures in the galaxy NGC 1068. The observations reveal warm (320 K) dust in a structure 2.1 parsec thick and 3.4 parsec in diameter, surrounding a smaller hot structure. As such a configuration of dust clouds would collapse in a time much shorter than the active phase of the AGN, this observation requires a continual input of kinetic energy to the cloud system from a source coexistent with the AGN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection

Description
Abstract:	Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) display many energetic phenomena–broad emission lines, X-rays, relativistic jets, radio lobes–originating from matter falling onto a supermassive black hole. It is widely accepted that orientation effects play a major role in explaining the observational appearance of AGNs. Seen from certain directions, circum-nuclear dust clouds would block our view of the central powerhouse. Indirect evidence suggests that the dust clouds form a parsec-sized torus-shaped distribution. This explanation, however, remains unproved, as even the largest telescopes have not been able to resolve the dust structures. Here we report interferometric mid-infrared observations that spatially resolve these structures in the galaxy NGC 1068. The observations reveal warm (320 K) dust in a structure 2.1 parsec thick and 3.4 parsec in diameter, surrounding a smaller hot structure. As such a configuration of dust clouds would collapse in a time much shorter than the active phase of the AGN, this observation requires a continual input of kinetic energy to the cloud system from a source coexistent with the AGN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	00280836
DOI:	10.1038/nature02531