2005ApJ...618..712M

We present high spatial resolution (2".3x1".9 or 43pcx36pc at D=3.9 Mpc) 100 GHz millimeter-wave continuum emission observations with the Nobeyama Millimeter Array toward an expanding molecular superbubble in the central region of M82. The 100 GHz continuum image, which is dominated by free-free emission, revealed that the four strongest peaks are concentrated at the inner edge of the superbubble along the galactic disk. The production rates of Lyman continuum photons calculated from 100 GHz continuum flux at these peaks are an order of magnitude higher than those from the most massive star-forming regions in our Galaxy. At these regions, high-velocity ionized gas (traced by H41α and [Ne II]) can be seen, and H₂O and OH masers are also concentrated. The center of the superbubble, on the other hand, is weak in molecular and free-free emissions and strong in diffuse hard X-ray emission. These observations suggest that a strong starburst produced energetic explosions and the resulting plasma and superbubble expansions and induced the present starburst regions traced by our 100 GHz continuum observations at the inner edge of the molecular superbubble. These results, therefore, provide the first clear evidence of self-induced starburst in external galaxies. The starburst at the center of the superbubble, on the other hand, is beginning to cease because of a lack of molecular gas. This kind of intense starburst seems to have occurred several times within 10⁶-10⁷ yr in the central region of M82.