Shock Excited Molecules in Ngc 1266: Ulirg Conditions at the Center of a Bulge-dominated Galaxy

We investigate the far infrared spectrum of NGC 1266, a S0 galaxy that contains a massive reservoir of highly excited molecular gas. Using the SPIRE-FTS, we detect the CO ladder up to J=(13-12), [C I] and [N II] lines, and also strong water lines more characteristic of UltraLuminous IR Galaxies (ULIRGs). The CO line emission is modeled with a combination of a low-velocity C-shock and a PDR. Shocks are required to produce the H2O and most of the high-J CO emission. Despite having an infrared luminosity thirty times less than a typical ULIRG, the spectral characteristics and physical conditions of the ISM of NGC 1266 closely resemble those of ULIRGs, which often harbor strong shocks and large-scale outflows. Subject headings: ISM: jets and outflows — ISM: lines and bands — ISM: molecules