Gas in early-type galaxies: cross-fuelling in late-type–early-type pairs?

We present  ¹²CO ( J = 1–0)  and  ¹²CO ( J = 2–1)  observations of eight early-type galaxies, forming part of a sample of interacting galaxies, each consisting of one late- and one early-type system. All of the early-type galaxies observed are undetected in CO to low levels, allowing us to place tight constraints on their molecular gas content. Additionally, we present H  i absorption data for one system. The implications for possible gas transfer from the late- to the early-type galaxy during the interaction are discussed.