Warm Molecular Hydrogen Emission in Normal Edge-On Galaxies NGC 4565 and
  NGC 5907
  We have observed warm molecular hydrogen in two nearby edge-on disk galaxies,
NGC 4565 and NGC 5907, using the Spitzer high-resolution infrared spectrograph.
The 0-0 S(0) 28.2 micron and 0-0 S(1) 17.0 micron pure rotational lines were
detected out to 10 kpc from the center of each galaxy on both sides of the
major axis, and in NGC 4565 the S(0) line was detected at r = 15 kpc on one
side. This location lies beyond a steep drop in the radio continuum emission
from cosmic rays in the disk. Despite indications that star formation activity
decreases with radius, the H2 excitation temperature and the ratio of the H2
line and the far-IR luminosity surface densities, Sigma_L(H2}/Sigma_L(TIR},
change very little as a function of radius, even into the diffuse outer region
of the disk of NGC 4565. This suggests that the source of excitation of the H2
operates over a large range of radii, and is broadly independent of the
strength and relative location of UV emission from young stars. Although
excitation in photodissociation regions is the most common explanation for the
widespread H2 emission, cosmic ray heating or shocks cannot be ruled out. The
inferred mass surface densities of warm molecular hydrogen in both edge-on
galaxies differ substantially, being 4(-60) M_solar/pc^2 and 3(-50)
M_solar/pc^2 at r = 10 kpc for NGC 4565 and NGC 5907, respectively. The higher
values represent very unlikely point-source upper limits. The point source case
is not supported by the observed emission distribution in the spectral slits.
These mass surface densities cannot support the observed rotation velocities in
excess of 200 km/s. Therefore, warm molecular hydrogen cannot account for dark
matter in these disk galaxies, contrary to what was implied by a previous ISO
study of the nearby edge-on galaxy NGC 891.
