The disturbed structure of the nuclear region of Mkn 298

The 6m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory equipped with the Multi Pupil FiberSpectrograph (MPFS) has been used to perform 3D spectroscopy of the nuclear region of the galaxy Mkn 298 (IC 1182). The array consisted of 16x16 fibers, coveringa region of angular size 16''x16''. The distribution of the emission in the [O III] 5007 line shows two distinct bright knots, while the distribution in the emission in the nearby continuum (5200) is characterized only by a single peak, the nucleus of the galaxy, the position of which is misaligned with both [O III] knots. The emission line ratios in the spectra of the two knots suggest the presence of gas photoionized by both thermal and nonthermal sources, like in starburst regions close to an active nucleus. The kinematics of the gas components indicates that the two detected knots are either rotating around the nucleus or moving in opposite directions relative to it. The interpretation in terms of circumnuclear starbursts partly covering an active nucleus is discussed.