Emission Nuclei in Galaxies.

Abstract

Some galaxies which show wide emission lines in the spectra of their nuclei are discussed. It is shown that, on statistical grounds, the nuclear emission must last for several times 10 8 years at least. The nuclei are extremely narrow, of the order of 100 parsecs, and, if a normal mass-to-light ratio applies, extremely massive. The width of the emission lines, which indicates velocities of a few thousand kilometers per second, is probably due to fast motions, circular or random, in the gravitational fields of the nuclei. The high star density in the nuclei may provide a source of excitation. In the nucleus of our own Galaxy the radio source Sagittarius gives evidence of strong magnetic fields and large amounts of rela-tivistic particles.