2025ApJ...982...21Z

The distribution and physical conditions of molecular gas are closely linked to star formation and the subsequent evolution of galaxies. Emission from carbon monoxide (CO) and its isotopologues traces the bulk of molecular gas and provides constraints on the physical conditions through their line ratios. However, a comprehensive understanding of how the particular choice of line modeling approach impacts derived molecular properties remains incomplete. Here, we study the nearby starburst galaxy M82, known for its intense star formation and molecular emission, using the large set of available multi-CO line observations. We present high-resolution (∼85 pc) emission of seven CO isotopologue lines, including ¹²CO, ¹³CO, and C¹⁸O from the J = 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 transitions. Using RADEX for radiative transfer modeling, we analyze M82's molecular properties with (i) a one-zone model and (ii) a variable density model, comparing observed and simulated emissions via a minimum χ² analysis. We find that inferred gas conditions-kinetic temperature and density-are consistent across models, with minimal statistical differences. However, due to their low critical densities (<10⁴ cm^–3), low-J CO isotopologue lines do not effectively probe higher-density gas prevalent in starburst environments like that of M82. Our results further imply that this limitation extends to high-redshift (z ⪆ 1) galaxies with similar conditions, where low-J CO lines are inadequate for density constraints. Future studies of extreme star-forming regions like M82 will require higher-J CO lines or alternative molecular tracers with higher critical densities.