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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 October 2008
Wepresent 12CO(J = 3–2) and 12CO(J = 1–0) observations of the supergiant Hii region NGC 604 in the nearest face-on spiral galaxy M 33 using the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE) 10-m and the Nobeyama Radio Observatory (NRO) 45-m telescopes. We found high 12CO(J = 3–2)/12CO(J = 1–0) ratio gas with an arc-like distribution (“high-ratio gas arc”) surrounding the central star cluster of NGC 604. Our results suggest that dense gas formation and second-generation star formation occur in the surrounding gas compressed by the stellar wind and/or supernova of the first-generation stars of NGC 604, i.e., the central star cluster of NGC 604. Thus, NGC 604 is an example of large-scale sequential star formation.