Massive young stellar objects (YSOs), like low-mass YSOs, are thought to be surrounded by optically thick envelopes and/or discs and are observed to have associated regions that produce polarized light at near-infrared wavelengths. These polarized re
gions are thought to be lower-density outflows along the polar axes of the YSO envelopes. Using the 0.2 arcsec spatial resolution of the Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer on the Hubble Space Telescope we are examining the structure of the envelopes and outflow regions of massive YSOs in star-forming regions within a few kpc of the Sun. Here we report on 2 micron polarimetry of Mon R2-IRS3, S140-IRS1, and AFGL 2591. All three sources contain YSOs with highly-polarized monopolar outflows, with Mon R2-IRS3 containing at least two YSOs in a small cluster. The central stars of all four YSOs are also polarized, with position angles perpendicular to the directions of the outflows. We infer that this polarization is due to scattering and absorption by aligned grains. We have modelled our observations of S140-IRS1 and AFGL 2591 as light scattered and absorbed both by spherical grains and by elongated grains that are aligned by magnetic fields. Models that best reproduce the observations have a substantial toroidal component to the magnetic field in the equatorial plane. Moreover, the toroidal magnetic field in the model that best fits AFGL 2591 extends a large fraction of the height of the model cavity, which is 10^5 au. We conclude that the massive YSOs in this study all show evidence of the presence of a substantial toroidal magnetic field.
The G333 giant molecular cloud contains a few star clusters and H II regions, plus a number of condensations currently forming stars. We have mapped 13 of these sources with the appearance of young stellar objects (YSOs) with the Spitzer Infrared Spe
ctrograph in the SL, SH, and LH modules (5-36 micron). We use these spectra plus available photometry and images to characterize the YSOs. The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of all sources peak between 35 and 110 micron, thereby showing their young age. The objects are divided into two groups: YSOs associated with extended emission in IRAC band 2 at 4.5 micron (`outflow sources) and YSOs that have extended emission in all IRAC bands peaking at the longest wavelengths (`red sources). The two groups of objects have distinctly different spectra: All the YSOs associated with outflows show evidence of massive envelopes surrounding the protostar because the spectra show deep silicate absorption features and absorption by ices at 6.0, 6.8, and 15.2 micron. We identify these YSOs with massive envelopes cool enough to contain ice-coated grains as the `bloated protostars in the models of Hosokawa et al. All spectral maps show ionized forbidden lines and PAH emission features. For four of the red sources, these lines are concentrated to the centres of the maps, from which we infer that these YSOs are the source of ionizing photons. Both types of objects show evidence of shocks, with most of the outflow sources showing a line of [S I] in the outflows and two of the red sources showing the more highly excited [Ne III] and [S IV] lines in outflow regions at some distance from the YSOs. The 4.5 micron emission seen in the IRAC band 2 images of the outflow sources is not due to H2 lines, which are too faint in the 5-10 micron wavelength region to be as strong as is needed to account for the IRAC band 2 emission.
We present Spitzer Space Telescope observations of 11 regions SE of the Bright Bar in the Orion Nebula, along a radial from the exciting star theta1OriC, extending from 2.6 to 12.1. Our Cycle 5 programme obtained deep spectra with matching IRS short-
high (SH) and long-high (LH) aperture grid patterns. Most previous IR missions observed only the inner few arcmin. Orion is the benchmark for studies of the ISM particularly for elemental abundances. Spitzer observations provide a unique perspective on the Ne and S abundances by virtue of observing the dominant ionization states of Ne (Ne+, Ne++) and S (S++, S3+) in Orion and H II regions in general. The Ne/H abundance ratio is especially well determined, with a value of (1.01+/-0.08)E-4. We obtained corresponding new ground-based spectra at CTIO. These optical data are used to estimate the electron temperature, electron density, optical extinction, and the S+/S++ ratio at each of our Spitzer positions. That permits an adjustment for the total gas-phase S abundance because no S+ line is observed by Spitzer. The gas-phase S/H abundance ratio is (7.68+/-0.30)E-6. The Ne/S abundance ratio may be determined even when the weaker hydrogen line, H(7-6) here, is not measured. The mean value, adjusted for the optical S+/S++ ratio, is Ne/S = 13.0+/-0.6. We derive the electron density versus distance from theta1OriC for [S III] and [S II]. Both distributions are for the most part decreasing with increasing distance. A dramatic find is the presence of high-ionization Ne++ all the way to the outer optical boundary ~12 from theta1OriC. This IR result is robust, whereas the optical evidence from observations of high-ionization species (e.g. O++) at the outer optical boundary suffers uncertainty because of scattering of emission from the much brighter inner Huygens Region.
Massive young stellar objects (YSOs), like low-mass YSOs, appear to be surrounded by optically thick envelopes and/or disks and have regions, often bipolar, that are seen in polarized scattered light at near-infrared wavelengths. We are using the 0.2
spatial resolution of NICMOS on Hubble Space Telescope to examine the structure of the disks and outflow regions of massive YSOs in star-forming regions within a few kpc of the Sun. Here we report on 2 micron polarimetry of NGC 6334 V and S255 IRS1. NGC 6334 V consists of a double-lobed bright reflection nebula seen against a dark region, probably an optically thick molecular cloud. Our polarization measurements show that the illuminating star lies ~ 2 south of the line connecting the two lobes; we do not detect this star at 2 micron, but there are a small radio source and a mid-infrared source at this location. S255 IRS1 consists of two YSOs (NIRS1 and NIRS3) with overlapping scattered light lobes and luminosities corresponding to early B stars. Included in IRS1 is a cluster of stars from whose polarization we determine the local magnetic field direction. Neither YSO has its scattered light lobes aligned with this magnetic field. The line connecting the scattered light lobes of NIRS1 is twisted symmetrically around the star; the best explanation is that the star is part of a close binary and the outflow axis of NIRS1 is precessing as a result of non-coplanar disk and orbit. The star NIRS3 is also offset from the line connecting its two scattered light lobes. We suggest that all three YSOs show evidence of episodic ejection of material as they accrete from dense, optically thick envelopes.
We present Spitzer IRS spectra (R ~600, 10 - 38 micron) of 38 positions in the Galactic Center (GC), all at the same Galactic longitude and spanning plus/minus 0.3 degrees in latitude. Our positions include the Arches Cluster, the Arched Filaments, r
egions near the Quintuplet Cluster, the ``Bubble lying along the same line-of-sight as the molecular cloud G0.11-0.11, and the diffuse interstellar gas along the line-of-sight at higher Galactic latitudes. From measurements of the [O IV], [Ne II], [Ne III], [Si II], [S III], [S IV], [Fe II], [Fe III], and H_2 S(0), S(1), and S(2) lines we determine the gas excitation and ionic abundance ratios. The Ne/H and S/H abundance ratios are ~ 1.6 times that of the Orion Nebula. The main source of excitation is photoionization, with the Arches Cluster ionizing the Arched Filaments and the Quintuplet Cluster ionizing the gas nearby and at lower Galactic latitudes including the far side of the Bubble. In addition, strong shocks ionize gas to O^{+3} and destroy dust grains, releasing iron into the gas phase (Fe/H ~ 1.3 times 10^{-6} in the Arched Filaments and Fe/H ~ 8.8 times 10^{-6} in the Bubble). The shock effects are particularly noticeable in the center of the Bubble, but O$^{+3}$ is present in all positions. We suggest that the shocks are due to the winds from the Quintuplet Cluster Wolf-Rayet stars. On the other hand, the H_2 line ratios can be explained with multi-component models of warm molecular gas in photodissociation regions without the need for H_2 production in shocks.
