Diffuse and Dense Gas in Nearby Luminous Merging Galaxies

We present high resolution (0 ".2 - 2 ".0) ALMA cycle 2 observations of the IR-bright mid-stage merger VV 114 (band 3), the minor merger NGC 1614 (band 3/6), and the early-stage merger NGC 3110 (band 3), which are supplemented with the cycle 0 observations of VV 114 (band 3/7) and NGC 1614 (band 7/9). These observations include the CO (1-0), CO (2-1), (CO)-C-13 (1-0), (CO)-C-13 (2-1), CO (3-2), CO (6-5), HCN (4-3), and HCO+ (4-3) emission as well as continuum emission. We find that VV 114 has a multi-phase ISM (e.g., extended CO arms [similar to 10 kpc], a (CO)-C-13 filament [similar to 6 kpc], and compact HCN sources [< 200 pc]), while NGC 1614 shows a rotating molecular ring with the radius of 240 pc, which is detected in the all molecular lines above. NGC 3110 shows two asymmetric molecular spiral arms and a strong bar. The CN (1-0), (CO)-O-18 (2-1), CS (2-1), and CH3OH (2-1) emission are also detected. Diagnosing detected lines using line intensity ratios, we suggest that an AGN, starbursts, and shocks are important drivers of the chemistry of VV 114, while merger and bar-induced starburst activities dominate the chemistry of NGC 1614 and NGC 3110, respectively.