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   PR # 21094
    We aim to determine if there is a hot halo around the merging spiral 
    galaxies NGC 4038/9, similar to that found in ellipticals (with Einst
    ein). This is a fairly young, nearby merger, which still has two dist
    inct optical components, and two tidal tails. Fits to the spectrum   
    will determine the source of X-ray emission(hot gas or binary stars).
    Temperature, abundance and column density measurements from any hot  
    gas will allow comparison of the ISM conditions and supernova (SN)   
    history of this merging system with older elliptical galaxies, and   
    constrain the past numbers of type I and type II SN.We will therefore
    test, at X-ray wavelengths, the hypothesis that merging spirals form 
    ellipticals.                                                         
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