Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 May 2016
It is well known that the existence of H I and CO gas at “forbidden” velocities in longitude-velocity (l–V) diagrams of the inner Galaxy (e.g. Liszt & Burton 1980, Liszt 1992) is inconsistent with circular motion in an axisymmetric potential. Gas flow in a barred potential could be consistent with the observations, however. We have compared the observations to 2-D hydrodynamical simulations of gas flows in a family of barred potentials. The gas flow pattern is very sensitive to the assumed potential, and the l–V distribution of cool gas in the inner Galaxy places strong constraints on several parameters of the Milky Way bar.