Showing papers on "Infrared dark cloud published in 2020"

ALMA observations of NGC 6334S $-$ I: Forming massive stars and cluster in subsonic and transonic filamentary clouds

Abstract: We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) observations of the massive infrared dark cloud NGC 6334S (also known as IRDC G350.56+0.44), located at the southwestern end of the NGC 6334 molecular cloud complex. The H$^{13}$CO$^{+}$ and the NH$_{2}$D lines covered by the ALMA observations at a $\sim$3$^{\prime\prime}$ angular resolution ($\sim$0.02 pc) reveal that the spatially unresolved non-thermal motions are predominantly subsonic and transonic, a condition analogous to that found in low-mass star-forming molecular clouds. The observed supersonic non-thermal velocity dispersions in massive star forming regions, often reported in the literature, might be significantly biased by poor spatial resolutions that broaden the observed line widths due to unresolved motions within the telescope beam. Our 3~mm continuum image resolves 49 dense cores, whose masses range from 0.17 to 14 $M_{\odot}$. The majority of them are resolved with multiple velocity components. Our analyses of these gas velocity components find an anti-correlation between the gas mass and the virial parameter. This implies that the more massive structures tend to be more gravitationally unstable. Finally, we find that the external pressure in the NGC 6334S cloud is important in confining these dense structures, and may play a role in the formation of dense cores, and subsequently, the embedded young stars.

Dynamical cloud formation traced by atomic and molecular gas

Abstract: Context. Atomic and molecular cloud formation is a dynamical process. However, kinematic signatures of these processes are still observationally poorly constrained. Aims. We identify and characterize the cloud formation signatures in atomic and molecular gas. Methods. Targeting the cloud-scale environment of the prototypical infrared dark cloud G28.3, we employed spectral line imaging observations of the two atomic lines HI and [CI] as well as molecular lines observations in 13CO in the 1–0 and 3–2 transitions. The analysis comprises investigations of the kinematic properties of the different tracers, estimates of the mass flow rates, velocity structure functions, a histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) study, and comparisons to simulations. Results. The central infrared dark cloud (IRDC) is embedded in a more diffuse envelope of cold neutral medium traced by HI self-absorption and molecular gas. The spectral line data as well as the HOG and structure function analysis indicate a possible kinematic decoupling of the HI from the other gas compounds. Spectral analysis and position–velocity diagrams reveal two velocity components that converge at the position of the IRDC. Estimated mass flow rates appear rather constant from the cloud edge toward the center. The velocity structure function analysis is consistent with gas flows being dominated by the formation of hierarchical structures. Conclusions. The observations and analysis are consistent with a picture where the IRDC G28.3 is formed at the center of two converging gas flows. While the approximately constant mass flow rates are consistent with a self-similar, gravitationally driven collapse of the cloud, external compression (e.g., via spiral arm shocks or supernova explosions) cannot be excluded yet. Future investigations should aim at differentiating the origin of such converging gas flows.

Dynamical cloud formation traced by atomic and molecular gas

Abstract: Context: Atomic and molecular cloud formation is a dynamical process. However, kinematic signatures of these processes are still observationally poorly constrained. Methods: Targeting the cloud-scale environment of the prototypical infrared dark cloud G28.3, we employ spectral line imaging observations of the two atomic lines HI and [CI] as well as molecular lines observations in 13CO in the 1--0 and 3--2 transitions. The analysis comprises investigations of the kinematic properties of the different tracers, estimates of the mass flow rates, velocity structure functions, a Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) study as well as comparisons to simulations. Results: The central IRDC is embedded in a more diffuse envelope of cold neutral medium (CNM) traced by HI self-absorption (HISA) and molecular gas. The spectral line data as well as the HOG and structure function analysis indicate a possible kinematic decoupling of the HI from the other gas compounds. Spectral analysis and position-velocity diagrams reveal two velocity components that converge at the position of the IRDC. Estimated mass flow rates appear rather constant from the cloud edge toward the center. The velocity structure function analysis is consistent with gas flows being dominated by the formation of hierarchical structures. Conclusions: The observations and analysis are consistent with a picture where the IRDC G28 is formed at the center of two converging gas flows. While the approximately constant mass flow rates are consistent with a self-similar, gravitationally driven collapse of the cloud, external compression by, e.g., spiral arm shocks or supernovae explosions cannot be excluded yet. Future investigations should aim at differentiating the origin of such converging gas flows.

The High-mass Protostellar Population of a Massive Infrared Dark Cloud

Abstract: We conduct a census of the high-mass protostellar population of the similar to 70,000Minfrared dark cloud (IRDC) G028.37+00.07, identifying 35 sources based on their 70 mu m emission, as reported in the Herschel Hi-GAL catalog of Molinari et al. We perform aperture photometry to construct spectral energy distributions, which are then fit with the massive protostar models of Zhang & Tan. We find that the sources span a range of isotropic luminosities from similar to 20 to 4500L. The most luminous sources are predicted to have current protostellar masses ofm(*) similar to 10Mforming from cores of massM(c) similar to 40 to 400M. The least luminous sources in our sample are predicted to be protostars with masses as low as similar to 0.5Mforming from cores withM(c) similar to 10M, which are the minimum values explored in the protostellar model grid. The detected protostellar population has a total estimated protostellar mass ofM(*) similar to 100M. Allowing for completeness corrections, which are constrained by comparison with an ALMA study in part of the cloud, we estimate a star formation efficiency per freefall time of similar to 3% in the IRDC. Finally, analyzing the spatial distribution of the sources, we find relatively low degrees of central concentration of the protostars. The protostars, including the most massive ones, do not appear to be especially centrally concentrated in the protocluster as defined by the IRDC boundary.

Role of the magnetic field in the fragmentation process: The case of G14.225-0.506

Abstract: Context. Magnetic fields are predicted to play a significant role in the formation of filamentary structures and their fragmentation to form stars and star clusters.Aims. We aim to investigate the role of the magnetic field in the process of core fragmentation toward the two hub–filament systems in the infrared dark cloud G14.225-0.506, which present different levels of fragmentation.Methods. We performed observations of the thermal dust polarization at 350 μ m using the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) with an angular resolution of 10″ toward the two hubs (Hub-N and Hub-S) in the infrared dark cloud G14.225-0.506. We additionally applied the polarization–intensity-gradient method to estimate the significance of the magnetic field over the gravitational force.Results. The sky-projected magnetic field in Hub-N shows a rather uniform structure along the east–west orientation, which is roughly perpendicular to the major axis of the hub–filament system. The intensity gradient in Hub-N displays a single local minimum coinciding with the dust core MM1a detected with interferometric observations. Such a prevailing magnetic field orientation is slightly perturbed when approaching the dust core. Unlike the northern Hub, Hub-S shows two local minima, reflecting the bimodal distribution of the magnetic field. In Hub-N, both east and west of the hub–filament system, the intensity gradient and the magnetic field are parallel whereas they tend to be perpendicular when penetrating the dense filaments and hub. Analysis of the |δ |- and ΣB -maps indicates that, in general, the magnetic field cannot prevent gravitational collapse, both east and west, suggesting that the magnetic field is initially dragged by the infalling motion and aligned with it, or is channeling material toward the central ridge from both sides. Values of ΣB ≳ 1 are found toward a north–south ridge encompassing the dust emission peak, indicating that in this region magnetic field dominates over gravity force, or that with the current angular resolution we cannot resolve a hypothetically more complex structure. We estimated the magnetic field strength, the mass-to-flux ratio, and the Alfven Mach number, and found differences between the two hubs.Conclusions. The different levels of fragmentation observed in these two hubs could arise from differences in the properties of the magnetic field rather than from differences in the intensity of the gravitational field because the density in the two hubs is similar. However, environmental effects could also play a role.

SiO Outflows as Tracers of Massive Star Formation in Infrared Dark Clouds

Abstract: To study the early phases of massive star formation, we present ALMA observations of SiO(5-4) emission and VLA observations of 6 cm continuum emission towards 32 Infrared Dark Cloud (IRDC) clumps, spatially resolved down to $\lesssim 0.05$ pc. Out of the 32 clumps, we detect SiO emission in 20 clumps, and in 11 of them the SiO emission is relatively strong and likely tracing protostellar outflows. Some SiO outflows are collimated, while others are less ordered. For the six strongest SiO outflows, we estimate basic outflow properties. In our entire sample, where there is SiO emission, we find 1.3 mm continuum and infrared emission nearby, but not vice versa. We build the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of cores with 1.3 mm continuum emission and fit them with radiative transfer (RT) models. The low luminosities and stellar masses returned by SED fitting suggest these are early stage protostars. We see a slight trend of increasing SiO line luminosity with bolometric luminosity, which suggests more powerful shocks in the vicinity of more massive YSOs. We do not see a clear relation between the SiO luminosity and the evolutionary stage indicated by $L/M$. We conclude that as a protostar approaches a bolometric luminosity of $\sim 10^2 \: L_{\odot}$, the shocks in the outflow are generally strong enough to form SiO emission. The VLA 6 cm observations toward the 15 clumps with the strongest SiO emission detect emission in four clumps, which is likely shock ionized jets associated with the more massive ones of these protostellar cores.

A Semi-automated Computational Approach for Infrared Dark Cloud Localization: A Catalog of Infrared Dark Clouds

Abstract: The field of computer vision has greatly matured in the past decade, and many of the methods and techniques can be useful for astronomical applications. One example is in searching large imaging surveys for objects of interest, especially when it is difficult to specify the characteristics of the objects being searched for. We have developed a method using contour finding and convolution neural networks (CNNs) to search for Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs) in the Spitzer Galactic plane survey data. IRDCs can vary in size, shape, orientation, and optical depth, and are often located near regions with complex emission from molecular clouds and star formation, which can make the IRDCs difficult to reliably identify. False positives can occur in regions where emission is absent, rather than from a foreground IRDC. The contour finding algorithm we implemented found most closed figures in the mosaic and we developed rules to filter out some of the false positive before allowing the CNNs to analyze them. The method was applied to the Spitzer data in the Galactic plane surveys, and we have constructed a catalog of IRDCs which includes additional parts of the Galactic plane that were not included in earlier surveys.

Dense cores in the Seahorse infrared dark cloud: physical properties from modified blackbody fits to the far-infrared-submillimetre spectral energy distributions

Abstract: We used data from WISE, IRAS, and Herschel in conjuction with our previous observations with SABOCA and LABOCA, and constructed the far-IR to submillimetre spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of dense cores in the filamentary Seahorse infrared dark cloud (IRDC) G304.74+01.32. For the 12 analysed cores, which include two IR dark cores (no WISE counterpart), nine IR bright cores, and one HII region, the mean dust temperature of the cold (warm) component, the mass, luminosity, H$_2$ number density, and surface density were derived to be $13.3\pm1.4$ K ($47.0\pm5.0$ K), $113\pm29$ M$_{\odot}$, $192\pm94$ L$_{\odot}$, $(4.3\pm1.2)\times10^5$ cm$^{-3}$, and $0.77\pm0.19$ g cm$^{-3}$, respectively. The HII region IRAS 13039-6108a was found to be the most luminous source in our sample ($(1.1\pm0.4)\times10^3$ L$_{\odot}$). All the cores were found to be gravitationally bound (i.e. the virial parameter $\alpha_{\rm vir} 0.4$ g cm$^{-3}$ derived for these seven cores also exceed the corresponding threshold for high-mass star formation. Five of the analysed cores (42%) show evidence of fragmentation into two components in the SABOCA 350 $\mu$m image. In addition to the HII region source IRAS 13039-6108a, some of the other cores in Seahorse also appear to be capable of giving birth to high-mass stars. The dense core population in the Seahorse IRDC has comparable average properties to the cores in the well-studied Snake IRDC G11.11-0.12. The Seahorse core fragmentation mechanisms appear to be heterogenous, including cases of both thermal and non-thermal Jeans instability. High-resolution follow-up studies are required to address the fragmented cores' genuine potential of forming high-mass stars.

A Semi-Automated Computational Approach for Infrared Dark Cloud Localization: A Catalog of Infrared Dark Clouds.

Abstract: The field of computer vision has greatly matured in the past decade, and many of the methods and techniques can be useful for astronomical applications. One example is in searching large imaging surveys for objects of interest, especially when it is difficult to specify the characteristics of the objects being searched for. We have developed a method using contour finding and convolution neural networks (CNNs) to search for Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs) in the Spitzer Galactic plane survey data. IRDCs can vary in size, shape, orientation, and optical depth, and are often located near regions with complex emission from molecular clouds and star formation, which can make the IRDCs difficult to reliably identify. False positives can occur in regions where emission is absent, rather than from a foreground IRDC. The contour finding algorithm we implemented found most closed figures in the mosaic and we developed rules to filter out some of the false positive before allowing the CNNs to analyze them. The method was applied to the Spitzer data in the Galactic plane surveys, and we have constructed a catalog of IRDCs which includes additional parts of the Galactic plane that were not included in earlier surveys.

NIKA2 observations around LBV stars Emission from stars and circumstellar material

Abstract: Luminous Blue Variable (LBV) stars are evolved massive objects, previous to core-collapse supernova. LBVs are characterized by photometric and spectroscopic variability, produced by strong and dense winds, mass-loss events and very intense UV radiation. LBVs strongly disturb their surroundings by heating and shocking, and produce important amounts of dust. The study of the circumstellar material is therefore crucial to understand how these massive stars evolve, and also to characterize their effects onto the interstellar medium. The versatility of NIKA2 is a key in providing simultaneous observations of both the stellar continuum and the extended, circumstellar contribution. The NIKA2 frequencies (150 and 260 GHz) are in the range where thermal dust and free-free emission compete, and hence NIKA2 has the capacity to provide key information about the spatial distribution of circumstellar ionized gas, warm dust and nearby dark clouds; non-thermal emission is also possible even at these high frequencies. We show the results of the first NIKA2 survey towards five LBVs. We detected emission from four stars, three of them immersed in tenuous circumstellar material. The spectral indices show a complex distribution and allowed us to separate and characterize different components. We also found nearby dark clouds, with spectral indices typical of thermal emission from dust. Spectral indices of the detected stars are negative and hard to be explained only by free-free processes. In one of the sources, G79.29+0.46, we also found a strong correlation of the 1mm and 2mm continuum emission with respect to nested molecular shells at ≈1 pc from the LBV. The spectral index in this region clearly separates four components: the LBV star, a bubble characterized by free-free emission, and a shell interacting with a nearby infrared dark cloud.

Dense cores in the Seahorse infrared dark cloud: physical properties from modified blackbody fits to the far-infrared–submillimetre spectral energy distributions

Abstract: We used data from WISE, IRAS, and Herschel in conjuction with our previous observations with SABOCA and LABOCA, and constructed the far-IR to submillimetre spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of dense cores in the filamentary Seahorse infrared dark cloud (IRDC) G304.74+01.32. For the 12 analysed cores, which include two IR dark cores (no WISE counterpart), nine IR bright cores, and one HII region, the mean dust temperature of the cold (warm) component, the mass, luminosity, H$_2$ number density, and surface density were derived to be $13.3\pm1.4$ K ($47.0\pm5.0$ K), $113\pm29$ M$_{\odot}$, $192\pm94$ L$_{\odot}$, $(4.3\pm1.2)\times10^5$ cm$^{-3}$, and $0.77\pm0.19$ g cm$^{-3}$, respectively. The HII region IRAS 13039-6108a was found to be the most luminous source in our sample ($(1.1\pm0.4)\times10^3$ L$_{\odot}$). All the cores were found to be gravitationally bound (i.e. the virial parameter $\alpha_{\rm vir} 0.4$ g cm$^{-3}$ derived for these seven cores also exceed the corresponding threshold for high-mass star formation. Five of the analysed cores (42%) show evidence of fragmentation into two components in the SABOCA 350 $\mu$m image. In addition to the HII region source IRAS 13039-6108a, some of the other cores in Seahorse also appear to be capable of giving birth to high-mass stars. The dense core population in the Seahorse IRDC has comparable average properties to the cores in the well-studied Snake IRDC G11.11-0.12. The Seahorse core fragmentation mechanisms appear to be heterogenous, including cases of both thermal and non-thermal Jeans instability. High-resolution follow-up studies are required to address the fragmented cores' genuine potential of forming high-mass stars.