High Resolution Observations Of Molecular Gas Distribution In Galaxies

Recent high resolution CO observations of normal and starburst galaxies at Owens Valley Millimeter Array are summarized. While normal disk galaxies generally show exponential distribution which follows the optical blue light, starburst galaxies are often characterized by a compact (¸1 kpc) nuclear complex whose surface gas mass density is strongly correlated with the observed large infrared luminosity and thus the ongoing massive star formation. Key Words : molecular gas, star formation I. INTRODUCTION The millimeter array telescopes in operation today are capable of mapping the rotational transitions of CO and other molecular species at 1-2 00 resolution, sufficient to resolve giant molecular clouds (GMC's) in galaxies as far away as Virgo cluster and to study detailed distribution of molecular gas at kpc scale out to about 100 Mpc in distance. Molecular gas is often the dominant component of the ISM in the inner disk of galaxies and the sites of current active star formation. Map..