Highly turbulent gas on GMC-scales in NGC 3256, the nearest luminous
  infrared galaxy
  We present the highest resolution CO (2-1) observations obtained to date
(0.25") of NGC 3256 and use them to determine the detailed properties of the
molecular interstellar medium in the central 6 kpc of this merger.
Distributions of physical quantities are reported from pixel-by-pixel
measurements at 55 and 120 pc scales and compared to disc galaxies observed by
PHANGS-ALMA. Mass surface densities range from 8 to 5500 M$_{\odot}$ pc$^{-2}$
and velocity dispersions from 10 to 200 km s$^{-1}$. Peak brightness
temperatures as large as 37 K are measured, indicating the gas in NGC 3256 may
be hotter than all regions in nearby disc galaxies measured by PHANGS-ALMA.
Brightness temperatures even surpass those in the overlap region of NGC 4038/9
at the same scales. The majority of the gas appears unbound with median virial
parameters of 7 to 19, although external pressure may bind some of the gas.
High internal turbulent pressures of 10$^{5}$ to 10$^{10}$ K cm$^{-3}$ are
found. Given the lack of significant trends in surface density, brightness
temperature, and velocity dispersion with physical scale we argue the molecular
gas is made up of a smooth medium down to 55 pc scales, unlike the more
structured medium found in the PHANGS-ALMA disc galaxies.
