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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 July 2008
We compare the resolved properties of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) and other low mass galaxies to those in more massive spirals. When measured using CO line emission, differences among the various populations of GMCs are fairly small. We contrast this result with the view afforded by dust emission in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Comparing temperature-corrected dust opacity to the distribution of H i suggests extended envelopes of CO-free H2, implying that CO traces only the highest density H2 in the SMC. Including this CO-free H2, the gas depletion time, H2-to-H i ratio, and H2-to-stellar mass/light ratio in the SMC are all typical of those found in more massive irregular galaxies.