The prospects of the ALMA wideband sensitivity upgrade for the study of nearby galaxies

ALMA is revolutionising our understanding of nearby galaxies by mapping large areas with resolutions that approach the scales of individual molecular clouds, primarily with bright molecular lines such as CO(2-1). This is yielding an unprecedented view on how the interstellar medium (ISM) is organised around dynamical structures such as rings, bars, and spiral arms. The use of additional lines and isotopologues, such as HCN or 13CO, provide an extra layer that permits us to gauge key properties such as gas density. Yet, to fully characterise the physical conditions of the ISM in nearby galaxies, it is crucial to map simultaneously as many lines as possible, including not only reliable dense gas tracers, but also tracers of shocks and other physical processes. In this talk, I will review some of the main science goals that can be tackled with the ALMA wideband sensitivity upgrade in the field of nearby galaxies. These include efficient multi-line and isotopologue mapping, as well as improved sensitivity to mm continuum. I will provide some examples of how NOEMA can already achieve some of these goals, which sets the path that ALMA could follow.