Abstract
| - In order to test if the molecular "shells" observed by Charmandaris et al. ([CITE]) could be due to a molecular outflow, we have mapped CO in $J=1\rightarrow0$ and $2\rightarrow1$ along the jet axis of Centaurus A. Where our map coincides with their observed positions, like them, we obtain $4\sigma$ detections with a similar antenna temperature for CO $1\rightarrow0$, although both transitions appear to be somewhat wider in velocity dispersion than theirs. As well as these, we have several tentative detections at distances of $\ga$5 kpc from the nucleus, and although these results are of too poor quality in order to verify or refute the shell model in favour of a molecular outflow, our observations of the inner kpc do suggest that at least a small-scale outflow is a possibility. Whether this would be a component of a larger-scale outflow or exists in conjunction with the molecular gas shells will have to wait for a much more extensive mapping of the large-scale gas distribution in Centaurus A, for which these and the results of Charmandaris et al. ([CITE]) will hopefully provide sufficient motivation.
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