Molecular gas in nearby infrared-luminous quasi-stellar objects and radio galaxies

Two separate millimeter (CO) surveys of molecular gas (112) in classical quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) and radio galaxies with infrared excesses are summarized. These surveys have established the presence of similar to 0.5 - 20 x 10(9) M-circle dot of star-forming H-2 in a significant fraction (similar to 30 - 70%) of the low redshift (z less than or equal to 0.2) radio galaxies and QSOs. The L-IR/L'(CO) of the QSOs is high relative to local (z < 0.2) IRAS selected galaxies, indicating either significant AGN heating of the dust or the production of massive stars with high efficiency. Conversely, the radio galaxies have a wide range of L-IR/L'(CO), with a few having L-IR/L'(CO) and star formation rates comparable to normal spiral galaxies (< 5 M-circle dot yr(-1)). Imaging observations of both samples reveal a diversity of host galaxy morphologies, indicating that there may be several paths which ultimately lead to the formation of a radio galaxy or QSO.