Molecular Gas Chemistry in Starbursts and AGN

Abstract

We present the main results of an extragalactic survey aiming to study the chemistry of molecular gas in a limited sample of starburst galaxies (SB) and AGN hosts. Observations have been carried out with the IRAM 30m telescope and the Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI). The high resolution/sensitivity of the PdBI has made possible to obtain high quality images of the galaxies using specific molecular gas tracers of Shock Chemistry, Photon Dominated Regions (PDR) and X-ray Dominated Regions (XDR). The occurrence of large-scale shocks and the propagation of PDR chemistry in starbursts can be studied. We also discuss the onset of XDR chemistry in AGN.

4 pages, 2 figures; contributed talk at "The Neutral ISM in Starburst Galaxies", workshop held in Marstrand (Sweden), June 23-27, 2003; to be published in ASP Conference Series