Pre-Starbursts in Luminous IR Galaxies ?

Abstract

We present first results of our on-going BIMA Key Project: imaging the CO(1-0) emission from a sample of 10 luminous IR galaxies (LIRGs) that are at various merging stages, with special emphasis on systems apparently in the early/intermediate stages of merging. We present here CO images with $\sim 5''$ resolution. An important result is the recognition of a plausible pre-starburst phase in some early LIRG mergers (e.g., Arp 302 and NGC 6670). Our initial analysis suggests that a merger-induced starburst phase may not begin before the nuclear separation between the merging galaxies reaches roughly 10 kpc. The surface gas density seems to increase from a few times $10^2 \Msun pc^{-2} to >10^3 \Msun pc^{-2}$ while the prominent CO extent systematically decreases as merging progresses.

4 pages including one postscript figure. Contribution to the Conference proceedings of the 7th Annual Astrophysics Conference in Maryland, STAR FORMATION, NEAR AND FAR, eds. Stephen S. Holt and Lee G. Mundy