About the Nature and Fate of the Nearest Starburst Nucleus

MAST, D.; DIAZ, R.; DOTTORI, H.; AGUERO, M.; RODRIGUES, I.

Foz do Iguazu, Brasil

Workshop; Science with Gemini; 2007

National Science Foundation, USA

We present a study of the 3D NIR Kinematics of the bulge core ofM83 at the spectral range 1.2-1.4 microns, which reveals that apreviously known hidden mass concentration is located at theyoungest end of a giant star-forming arc. This location, theinferred average cluster ages, and the dynamical time clearlyindicate that the interloper has left behind a spur of violent starformation in M83 bulge core, in a transient event lasting lessthan one orbital revolution. The study of the origin and fate ofthis system could provide clues to the question of core growing andmorphological evolution in grand-design spiral galaxies. Inparticular, our TReeSPH numerical modeling suggests that the twonuclei could coalesce, forming a single massive core in less than 60million years.