Luminous, pc-scale CO 6-5 emission in the obscured nucleus of NGC1377
  High resolution submm observations are important in probing the morphology,
column density and dynamics of obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs). With
high resolution (0.06 x 0.05) ALMA 690 GHz observations we have found bright
(TB >80 K) and compact (FWHM 10x7 pc) CO 6-5 line emission in the nucleus of
the extremely radio-quiet galaxy NGC1377. The integrated CO 6-5 intensity is
aligned with the previously discovered jet/outflow of NGC1377 and is tracing
the dense (n>1e4 cm-3), hot gas at the base of the outflow. The velocity
structure is complex and shifts across the jet/outflow are discussed in terms
of jet-rotation or separate, overlapping kinematical components. High velocity
gas (deltaV +-145 km/s) is detected inside r<2-3 pc and we suggest that it is
emerging from an inclined rotating disk or torus of position angle PA=140+-20
deg with a dynamical mass of approx 3e6 Msun. This mass is consistent with that
of a supermassive black hole (SMBH), as inferred from the M-sigma relation. The
gas mass of the proposed disk/torus constitutes <3% of the nuclear dynamical
mass. In contrast to the intense CO 6-5 line emission, we do not detect dust
continuum with an upper limit of S(690GHz)<2mJy. The corresponding, 5 pc, H2
column density is estimated to N(H2)<3e23 cm-2, which is inconsistent with a
Compton Thick (CT) source. We discuss the possibility that CT obscuration may
be occuring on small (subparsec) or larger scales. From SED fitting we suggest
that half of the IR emission of NGC1377 is nuclear and the rest (mostly the
far-infrared (FIR)) is more extended. The extreme radio quietness, and the lack
of emission from other star formation tracers, raise questions on the origin of
the FIR emission. We discuss the possibility that it is arising from the
dissipation of shocks in the molecular jet/outflow or from irradiation by the
nuclear source along the poles.
