The central dusty torus in the active nucleus of NGC 1068

W. Jaffe (), K. Meisenheimer, H. J. A. Röttgering, Ch. Leinert, A. Richichi, O. Chesneau, D. Fraix-Burnet, A. Glazenborg-Kluttig, G.-L. Granato, U. Graser, B. Heijligers, R. Köhler, F. Malbet, G. K. Miley, F. Paresce, J.-W. Pel, G. Perrin, F. Przygodda, M. Schoeller, H. Sol, L. B. F. M. Waters, G. Weigelt, J. Woillez and P. T. de Zeeuw
Additional contact information
W. Jaffe: Leiden Observatory
K. Meisenheimer: Max Planck Institut für Astronomie
H. J. A. Röttgering: Leiden Observatory
Ch. Leinert: Max Planck Institut für Astronomie
A. Richichi: European Southern Observatory
O. Chesneau: Max Planck Institut für Astronomie
D. Fraix-Burnet: Observatoire de Grenoble
A. Glazenborg-Kluttig: Stichting ASTRON
G.-L. Granato: Astronomical Observatory of Padua
U. Graser: Max Planck Institut für Astronomie
B. Heijligers: Leiden Observatory
R. Köhler: Max Planck Institut für Astronomie
F. Malbet: Observatoire de Grenoble
G. K. Miley: Leiden Observatory
F. Paresce: European Southern Observatory
J.-W. Pel: Kapteyn Astronomical Institute
G. Perrin: Observatoire de Paris-Meudon
F. Przygodda: Max Planck Institut für Astronomie
M. Schoeller: European Southern Observatory
H. Sol: Observatoire de Paris-Meudon
L. B. F. M. Waters: Astronomical Institute “Anton Pannekoek”, Univ. of Amsterdam
G. Weigelt: Max-Planck-Institut fur Radioastronomie
J. Woillez: Observatoire de Paris-Meudon
P. T. de Zeeuw: Leiden Observatory

Nature, 2004, vol. 429, issue 6987, 47-49

Abstract: 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 powerhouse1,2. 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 AGN3, this observation requires a continual input of kinetic energy to the cloud system from a source coexistent with the AGN.

Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1038/nature02531

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