Early science based on ALMA science verification data of the Antennae Galaxies

A group of investigators in France led by C. N. Herrera have submitted one of the first papers based on ALMA data.  Their work examines the characertistics of molecular clouds in the Antennae Galaxies (a pair of merging galaxies) using ALMA observations of carbon monoxide (CO) along with observations of molecular hydrogen performed with the Very Large Telescope. Their paper is currently available as a preprint on the arXiv website, but it has been accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics and should be published soon. ALMA and Hubble Space Telescope images of the Antennae Galaxies are shown below.