EFFECTS OF GALAXY INTERACTION ON THE TULLY-FISHER RELATION - CO VS H-I LINEWIDTHS

We investigate effects of galaxy-galaxy interaction on the Tully-Fishe r relation. The HI linewidth in interacting galaxies is significantly broader than the CO linewidth, and the HI to CO linewidth ratio is pro portional to the strength of interaction. This provides different dist ances to galaxies measured by the Tully-Fisher relation with the CO an d HI linewidths. Distances derived from the HI linewidths are 62% larg er than those derived from the CO linewidths for strongly interacting galaxies, and 25% larger for weakly interacting galaxies. We argue tha t the CO-line Tully-Fisher relation will be more reliable to measure t he distances of interacting galaxies as well as galaxies in rich clust ers.