Ionized and Neutral Gas in the Central 10 PC of the Galaxy

Observations of the 12.8 μm [NeII] line emission, the OH absorption against Sgr A and the HCN emission were compared to determine the relationship between the ionized and neutral gas in the central 10 pc of the Galaxy. The distribution of the neutral gas is too asymmetric to be a ring or disk. Along the western arc, the ionized gas velocity is very different from that of the neutral gas, suggesting it may not be the ionized inner edge of the circum-nuclear neutral gas.