No Arabic abstract
We present a composite model and radiative transfer simulations of the massive star forming core W33A MM1. The model was tailored to reproduce the complex features observed with ALMA at $approx 0.2$ arcsec resolution in CH$_3$CN and dust emission. The MM1 core is fragmented into six compact sources coexisting within $sim 1000$ au. In our models, three of these compact sources are better represented as disc-envelope systems around a central (proto)star, two as envelopes with a central object, and one as a pure envelope. The model of the most prominent object (Main) contains the most massive (proto)star ($M_starapprox7~M_odot$) and disc+envelope ($M_mathrm{gas}approx0.4~M_odot$), and is the most luminous ($L_mathrm{Main} sim 10^4~L_odot$). The model discs are small (a few hundred au) for all sources. The composite model shows that the elongated spiral-like feature converging to the MM1 core can be convincingly interpreted as a filamentary accretion flow that feeds the rising stellar system. The kinematics of this filament is reproduced by a parabolic trajectory with focus at the center of mass of the region. Radial collapse and fragmentation within this filament, as well as smaller filamentary flows between pairs of sources are proposed to exist. Our modelling supports an interpretation where what was once considered as a single massive star with a $sim 10^3$ au disc and envelope, is instead a forming stellar association which appears to be virialized and to form several low-mass stars per high-mass object.
Massive star-forming regions exhibit an extremely rich and diverse chemistry, which in principle provides a wealth of molecular probes, as well as laboratories for interstellar prebiotic chemistry. Since the chemical structure of these sources displays substantial spatial variation among species on small scales (${lesssim}10^4$ au), high angular resolution observations are needed to connect chemical structures to local environments and inform astrochemical models of massive star formation. To address this, we present ALMA 1.3 mm observations toward OB cluster-forming region G10.6-0.4 (hereafter G10.6) at a resolution of 0.14$^{primeprime}$ (700 au). We find highly-structured emission from complex organic molecules (COMs) throughout the central 20,000 au, including two hot molecular cores and several shells or filaments. We present spatially-resolved rotational temperature and column density maps for a large sample of COMs and warm gas tracers. These maps reveal a range of gas substructure in both O- and N-bearing species. We identify several spatial correlations that can be explained by existing models of COM formation, including NH$_2$CHO/HNCO and CH$_3$OCHO/CH$_3$OCH$_3$, but also observe unexpected distributions and correlations which suggest that our current understanding of COM formation is far from complete. Importantly, complex chemistry is observed throughout G10.6, rather than being confined to hot cores. The COM composition appears to be different in the cores compared to the more extended structures, which illustrates the importance of high spatial resolution observations of molecular gas in elucidating the physical and chemical processes associated with massive star formation.
Here we present the first results from ALMA observations of 1 mm polarized dust emission towards the W43-MM1 high mass star forming clump. We have detected a highly fragmented filament with source masses ranging from 14Msun to 312Msun, where the largest fragment, source A, is believed to be one of the most massive in our Galaxy. We found a smooth, ordered, and detailed polarization pattern throughout the filament which we used to derived magnetic field morphologies and strengths for 12 out of the 15 fragments detected ranging from 0.2 to 9 mG. The dynamical equilibrium of each fragment was evaluated finding that all the fragments are in a super-critical state which is consistent with previously detected infalling motions towards W43-MM1. Moreover, there are indications suggesting that the field is being dragged by gravity as the whole filament is collapsing.
Interferometric observations of the W33A massive star-formation region, performed with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and the Very Large Array (VLA) at resolutions from 5 arcsec (0.1 pc) to 0.5 arcsec (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 approximately 10 Msun. A massive molecular outflow is observed along the rotation axis of the disk.
The debris disc around HD 172555 was recently imaged in near-infrared polarised scattered light by the Very Large Telescopes Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch instrument. Here we present optical aperture polarisation measurements of HD 172555 by the HIgh Precision Polarimetric Instrument (HIPPI), and its successor HIPPI-2 on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. We seek to refine constraints on the discs constituent dust grains by combining our polarimetric measurements with available infrared and millimetre photometry to model the scattered light and continuum emission from the disc. We model the disc using the 3D radiative transfer code Hyperion, assuming the orientation and extent of the disc as obtained from the SPHERE observation. After correction for the interstellar medium contribution, our multi-wavelength HIPPI/-2 observations (both magnitude and orientation) are consistent with the recent SPHERE polarisation measurement with a fractional polarisation $p = 62.4 pm 5.2$~ppm at 722.3 nm, and a position angle $theta = 67 pm 3^{circ}$. The multi-wavelength polarisation can be adequately replicated by compact, spherical dust grains (i.e. from Mie theory) that are around 1.2 $mu$m in size, assuming astronomical silicate composition, or 3.9 $mu$m assuming a composition derived from radiative transfer modelling of the disc. We were thus able to reproduce both the spatially resolved disc emission and polarisation with a single grain composition model and size distribution.
Cold massive cores are one of the earliest manifestations of high mass star formation. Following the detection of SiO emission from G333.125-0.562, a cold massive core, further investigations of the physics, chemistry and dynamics of this object has been carried out. Mopra and NANTEN2 molecular line profile observations, Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) line and continuum emission maps, and Spitzer 24 and 70 mum images were obtained. These new data further constrain the properties of this prime example of the very early stages of high mass star formation. A model for the source was constructed and compared directly with the molecular line data using a 3D molecular line transfer code - MOLLIE. The ATCA data reveal that G333.125-0.562 is composed of two sources. One of the sources is responsible for the previously detected molecular outflow and is detected in the Spitzer 24 and 70 mum band data. Turbulent velocity widths are lower than other more active regions of G333 which reflects the younger evolutionary stage and/or lower mass of this core. The molecular line modelling requires abundances of the CO isotopes that strongly imply heavy depletion due to freeze-out of this species onto dust grains. The principal cloud is cold, moderately turbulent and possesses an outflow which indicates the presence of a central driving source. The secondary source could be an even less evolved object as no apparent associations with continuum emissions at (far-)infrared wavelengths.