Maps of the depletion time and the b parameter in the SB ring of NGC 1068. Left panel: map of the depletion time of the dense molecular gas () obtained after using 400 pc as an averaging scale. Contour levels for log₁₀() go from 1.50 to 2.22 in steps of 0.045 (in Myr). Right panel: map of the intensity-weighted average of the b parameter (⟨b⟩) in the SB ring of NGC 1068 obtained after using 400 pc as an averaging scale. Contour levels for log₁₀(⟨b⟩) go from 0.075 to 0.45 in steps of 0.025 (in M_⊙ pc⁻² (km s⁻¹)⁻²). The Δα and Δδ offsets in arc seconds are relative to the phase tracking centre of ALMA. The ellipse identifies the extent of the nuclear stellar bar in the disk. We highlight the approximate extent of the bar-ring interface region in both panels.