Resolving Gas Flows in the Ultraluminous Starburst IRAS23365+3604 with
  Keck LGSAO/OSIRIS
  Keck OSIRIS/LGSAO observations of the ultraluminous galaxy IRAS~23365+3604
resolve a circumnuclear bar (or irregular disk) of semimajor axis 0.42" (520
pc) in Paschen-alpha emission. The line-of-sight velocity of the ionized gas
increases from the northeast toward the southwest; this gradient is
perpendicular to the photometric major axis of the infrared emission. Two pairs
of bends in the zero-velocity line are detected. The inner bend provides
evidence for gas inflow onto the circumnuclear disk/bar structure. We interpret
the gas kinematics on kiloparsec scales in relation to the molecular gas disk
and multiphase outflow discovered previously. In particular, the fast component
of the outflow (detected previously in line wings) is not detected, adding
support to the conjecture that the fast wind originates well beyond the
nucleus. These data directly show the dynamics of gas inflow and outflow in the
central kiloparsec of a late-stage, gas-rich merger and demonstrate the
potential of integral field spectroscopy to improve our understanding of the
role of gas flows during the growth phase of bulges and supermassive black
holes.
