Roberto Galván-Madrid

H II REGIONS: WITNESSES TO MASSIVE STAR FORMATION

We describe the first three-dimensional simulation of the gravitational collapse of a massive, rotating molecular cloud that includes heating by both non-ionizing and ionizing radiation. These models were performed with the FLASH code, incorporating a hybrid, long characteristic, ray-tracing technique. We find that as the first protostars gain sufficient mass to ionize the accretion flow, their H II regions are initially gravitationally trapped, but soon begin to rapidly fluctuate between trapped and extended states, in agreement with observations. Over time, the same ultracompact H II region can expand anisotropically, contract again, and take on any of the observed morphological classes. In their extended phases, expanding H II regions drive bipolar neutral outflows characteristic of high-mass star formation. The total lifetime of H II regions is given by the global accretion timescale, rather than their short internal sound-crossing time. This explains the observed number statistics. The pressure of the hot, ionized gas does not terminate accretion. Instead, the final stellar mass is set by fragmentation-induced starvation. Local gravitational instabilities in the accretion flow lead to the build-up of a small cluster of stars, all with relatively high masses due to heating from accretion radiation. These companions subsequently compete with the initial high-mass star for the same common gas reservoir and limit its mass growth. This is in contrast to the classical competitive accretion model, where the massive stars are never hindered in growth by the low-mass stars in the cluster. Our findings show that the most significant differences between the formation of low-mass and high-mass stars are all explained as the result of rapid accretion within a dense, gravitationally unstable, ionized flow.

FROM THE CONVERGENCE OF FILAMENTS TO DISK-OUTFLOW ACCRETION: MASSIVE-STAR FORMATION IN W33A

Interferometric observations of the W33A massive star formation region, performed with the Submillimeter Array and the Very Large Array at resolutions from 5 (0.1 pc) to 0.5 (0.01 pc), are presented. Our three main findings are: (1) parsec-scale, filamentary structures of cold molecular gas are detected. Two filaments at different velocities intersect in the zone where the star formation is occurring. This is consistent with triggering of the star formation activity by the convergence of such filaments, as predicted by numerical simulations of star formation initiated by converging flows. (2) The two dusty cores (MM1 and MM2) at the intersection of the filaments are found to be at different evolutionary stages, and each of them is resolved into multiple condensations. MM1 and MM2 have markedly different temperatures, continuum spectral indices, molecular-line spectra, and masses of both stars and gas. (3) The dynamics of the hot-core MM1 indicates the presence of a rotating disk in its center (MM1-Main) around a faint free-free source. The stellar mass is estimated to be {approx}10 M{sub sun}. A massive molecular outflow is observed along the rotation axis of the disk.

Formation of an O-Star Cluster by Hierarchical Accretion in G20.08–0.14 N

Spectral line and continuum observations of the ionized and molecular gas in G20.08–0.14 N explore the dynamics of accretion over a range of spatial scales in this massive star-forming region. Very Large Array (VLA) observations of NH3 at 4 angular resolution show a large-scale (0.5 pc) molecular accretion flow around and into a star cluster with three small, bright H II regions. Higher resolution (04) observations with the Submillimeter Array in hot core molecules (CH3CN, OCS, and SO2) and the VLA in NH3 show that the two brightest and smallest H II regions are themselves surrounded by smaller scale (0.05 pc) accretion flows. The axes of rotation of the large- and small-scale flows are aligned, and the timescale for the contraction of the cloud is short enough, 0.1 Myr, for the large-scale accretion flow to deliver significant mass to the smaller scales within the star formation timescale. The flow structure appears to be continuous and hierarchical from larger to smaller scales. Millimeter radio recombination line (RRL) observations at 04 angular resolution indicate rotation and outflow of the ionized gas within the brightest H II region (A). The broad recombination lines and a continuum spectral energy distribution (SED) that rises continuously from cm to mm wavelengths, are both characteristic of the class of H II regions known as broad recombination line objects. The SED indicates a density gradient inside this H II region, and the RRLs suggest supersonic flows. These observations are consistent with photoevaporation of the inner part of the rotationally flattened molecular accretion flow. We also report the serendipitous detection of a new NH3 (3,3) maser.

MUSCLE W49: A MULTI-SCALE CONTINUUM AND LINE EXPLORATION OF THE MOST LUMINOUS STAR FORMATION REGION IN THE MILKY WAY. I. DATA AND THE MASS STRUCTURE OF THE GIANT MOLECULAR CLOUD

The Multi-scale Continuum and Line Exploration of W49 is a comprehensive gas and dust survey of the giant molecular cloud (GMC) of W49A, the most luminous star-formation region in the Milky Way. The project covers, for the first time, the entire GMC at different scales and angular resolutions. In this paper, we present (1) an all-configuration Submillimeter Array mosaic in the 230xa0GHz (1.3xa0mm) band covering the central ~3 × 3 (~10xa0pc, known as W49N), where most of the embedded massive stars reside and (2) Purple Mountain Observatory 14xa0m telescope observations in the 90xa0GHz band, covering the entire GMC with maps of up to ~35 × 35 in size, or ~113xa0pc. We also make use of archival data from the Very Large Array, JCMT-SCUBA, the IRAM 30xa0m telescope, and the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory BOLOCAM Galactic Plane Survey. We derive the basic physical parameters of the GMC at all scales. Our main findings are as follows. (1) The W49 GMC is one of the most massive in the Galaxy, with a total mass M gas ~ 1.1 × 106 M ☉ within a radius of 60xa0pc. Within a radius of 6xa0pc, the total gas mass is M gas ~ 2 × 105 M ☉. At these scales, only ~1% of the material is photoionized. The mass reservoir is sufficient to form several young massive clusters (YMCs) as massive as a globular cluster. (2) The mass of the GMC is distributed in a hierarchical network of filaments. At scales <10xa0pc, a triple, centrally condensed structure peaks toward the ring of HCxa0H II regions in W49N. This structure extends to scales from ~10 to 100xa0pc through filaments that radially converge toward W49N and its less-prominent neighbor W49S. The W49A starburst most likely formed from global gravitational contraction with localized collapse in a hub-filament geometry. (3) Currently, feedback from the central YMCs (with a present mass M cl 5 × 104 M ☉) is still not enough to entirely disrupt the GMC, but further stellar mass growth could be enough to allow radiation pressure to clear the cloud and halt star formation. (4) The resulting stellar content will probably remain as a gravitationally bound massive star cluster or a small system of bound clusters.

Millimeter Multiplicity in DR21(OH): Outflows, Molecular Cores, and Envelopes

We present sensitive high angular resolution (~1) millimeter continuum and line observations from the massive star-forming region DR21(OH) located in the Cygnus X molecular cloud. Within the well-known dusty MM1-2 molecular cores, we report the detection of a new cluster of about 10 compact continuum millimeter sources with masses between 5 and 24 M ☉, and sizes of a few thousands of astronomical units. These objects are likely to be large dusty envelopes surrounding massive protostars, some of them most probably driving several of the outflows that emanate from this region. Additionally, we report the detection of strong millimeter emission of formaldehyde (H2CO) and methanol (CH3OH) near 218xa0GHz as well as compact emission from the typical outflow tracers carbon monoxide and silicon monoxide (CO and SiO) toward this massive star-forming region. The H2CO and CH3OH emission is luminous (~10–4 L ☉), well resolved, and found along the collimated methanol maser outflow first identified at centimeter wavelengths and in the sources SMA6 and SMA7. Our observations suggest that this maser outflow might be energized by a millimeter source called SMA4 located in the MM2 dusty core. The CO and SiO emission traces some other collimated outflows that emanate from MM1-2 cores, and are not related with the low-velocity maser outflow.

Time variability in simulated ultracompact and hypercompact H ii regions

Ultracompact and hypercompact H II regions appear when a star with a mass larger than about 15 Mstarts to ionize its own environment. Recent observations of time variability in these objects are one of the pieces of evidence that suggest that at least some of them harbour stars that are still accreting from an infalling neutral accretion flow that becomes ionized in its innermost part. We present an analysis of the properties of the H II regions formed in the three-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamic simulations presented by Peters et al. as a function of time. Flickering of the H II regions is a natural outcome of this model. The radio-continuum fluxes of the simulated H II regions as well as their flux and size variations are in agreement with the available observations. From the simulations, we estimate that a small but non-negligible fraction (∼10 per cent) of observed H II regions should have detectable flux variations (larger than 10 per cent) on time-scales of ∼10 yr, with positive variations being more likely to happen than negative variations. A novel result of these simulations is that negative flux changes do happen, in contrast to the simple expectation of ever growing H II regions. We also explore the temporal correlations between properties that are directly observed (flux and size) and other quantities like density and ionization rates.

Molecular outflows and hot molecular cores in G24.78+0.08 at sub-arcsecond angular resolution

Context. This study is part of a large project to study the physics of accretion and molecular outflows towards a selected sample of high-mass star-forming regions that show evidence of infall and rotation from previous studies. Aims. We wish to make a thorough study at high-angular resolution of the structure and kinematics of the HMCs and corresponding molecular outflows in the high-mass star-forming region G24.78+0.08. Methods. We carried out SMA and IRAM PdBI observations at 1.3 and 1.4 mm, respectively, of dust and of typical high-density and molecular outflow tracers with resolutions of <1 �� . Complementary IRAM 30-m 12 CO and 13 CO observations were carried out to recover the short spacing information of the molecular outflows. Results. The millimeter continuum emission towards cores G24 A1 and A2 has been resolved into three and two cores, respectively, and named A1, A1b, A1c, A2, and A2b. All these cores are aligned in a southeast-northwest direction coincident with that of the molecular outflows detected in the region, which suggests a preferential direction for star formation in this region. The masses of the cores range from 7 to 22 M� , and the rotational temperatures from 128 to 180 K. The high-density tracers have revealed the existence of two velocity components towards A1. One of them peaks close to the position of the millimeter continuum peak and of the HC Hii region and is associated with the velocity gradient seen in CH3CN towards this core, while the other one peaks southwest of core A1 and is not associated with any millimeter continuum emission peak. The position-velocity plots along outflow A and the 13 CO (2–1) averaged blueshifted and redshifted emission indicate that this outflow is driven by core A2. Core A1 apparently does not drive any outflow. The knotty appearance of the highly collimated outflow C and the 12 CO position-velocity plot suggest an episodic

RESOLVING THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK AROUND THE MASSIVE PROTOSTAR DRIVING THE HH 80-81 JET

We present new high angular resolution observations toward the driving source of the HH 80-81 jet (IRAS 18162-2048). Continuum emission was observed with the Very Large Array at 7 mm and 1.3 cm, and with the Submillimeter Array at 860 μm, with angular resolutions of ~01 and ~08, respectively. Submillimeter observations of the sulfur oxide (SO) molecule are reported as well. At 1.3 cm the emission traces the well-known radio jet, while at 7 mm the continuum morphology is quadrupolar and seems to be produced by a combination of free-free and dust emission. An elongated structure perpendicular to the jet remains in the 7 mm image after subtraction of the free-free contribution. This structure is interpreted as a compact accretion disk of ~200 AU radius. Our interpretation is favored by the presence of rotation in our SO observations observed at larger scales. The observations presented here add to the small list of cases where the hundred-AU scale emission from a circumstellar disk around a massive protostar has been resolved.

Time Variation in G24.78+0.08 A1: Evidence for an Accreting Hypercompact H II Region?

Over a timescale of a few years, an observed change in the optically thick radio continuum flux can indicate whether an unresolved H II region around a newly formed massive star is changing in size. In this Letter we report on a study of archival VLA observations of the hypercompact H II region G24.78+0.08 A1 that shows a decrease of ~45% in the 6 cm flux over a 5 yr period. Such a decrease indicates a contraction of ~25% in the ionized radius and could be caused by an increase in the ionized gas density if the size of the H II region is determined by a balance between photoionization and recombination. This finding is not compatible with continuous expansion of the H II region after the end of accretion onto the ionizing star, but is consistent with the hypothesis of gravitational trapping and ionized accretion flows if the mass accretion rate is not steady.

FLICKERING OF 1.3 cm SOURCES IN SGR B2: TOWARD A SOLUTION TO THE ULTRACOMPACT H II REGION LIFETIME PROBLEM

Accretion flows onto massive stars must transfer mass so quickly that they are themselves gravitationally unstable, forming dense clumps and filaments. These density perturbations interact with young massive stars, emitting ionizing radiation, alternately exposing and confining their H II regions. As a result, the H II regions are predicted to flicker in flux density over periods of decades to centuries rather than increase monotonically in size as predicted by simple Spitzer solutions. We have recently observed the Sgr B2 region at 1.3 cm with the Very Large Array in its three hybrid configurations (DnC, CnB, and BnA) at a resolution of ~025. These observations were made to compare in detail with matched continuum observations from 1989. At 025 resolution, Sgr B2 contains 41 ultracompact (UC) H II regions, 6 of which are hypercompact. The new observations of Sgr B2 allow comparison of relative peak flux densities for the H II regions in Sgr B2 over a 23 year time baseline (1989-2012) in one of the most source-rich massive star forming regions in the Milky Way. The new 1.3 cm continuum images indicate that four of the 41 UC H II regions exhibit significant changes in their peak flux density, with one source (K3) dropping in peak flux density, and the other three sources (F10.303, F1, and F3) increasing in peak flux density. The results are consistent with statistical predictions from simulations of high mass star formation, suggesting that they offer a solution to the lifetime problem for UC H II regions.