Molecular gas distribution and dynamics in the luminous merger NGC 6240

We present the results of our subarcsecond resolution interferometricobservations of the 1.3 mm CO J = 2→1 line in the luminous merger NGC6240. Roughly half of the CO flux is contained in a rotating and highlyturbulent thick disk centered between the two radio and near-infrarednuclei. In this disk the molecular gas has velocity widths which reachFWZP line widths of up to 1000 km s-1. The mass of this gasconcentration makes up between 30%–70% of the dynamical mass in thisregion. NGC 6240 may be in an earlier merging stage than typical ULIRGssuch as Arp 220. We compare these results from NGC 6240 with thoseof other luminous, gas-rich interacting galaxies and mergers.