High angular resolution imaging of the circumstellar material around intermediate mass (IM) stars

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution interferometry to analyze the chemical composition, structure, and evolution of circumstellar material around intermediate-mass stars, revealing new details about hot cores, protostars, and disks.

Contribution

First chemical analysis of an intermediate-mass hot core, detailed imaging of IM protostar regions, and insights into disk evolution around Herbig Be stars.

Findings

First chemical study of an IM hot core.

Detection of a cluster of IM hot cores.

Evidence of rapid disk evolution around massive stars.

Abstract

In this Paper we present high angular resolution imaging of 3 intermediate-mass (IM) stars using the Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI). In particular we present the chemical study we have carried out towards the IM hot core NGC 7129--FIRS 2. This is the first chemical study in an IM hot core and provides important hints to understand the dependence of the hot core chemistry on the stellar luminosity. We also present our high angular resolution (0.3") images of the borderline Class 0-Class I object IC1396 N. These images trace the warm region of this IM protostar with unprecedent detail (0.3"\sim200 AU at the distance of IC1396 N) and provide the first detection of a cluster of IM hot cores. Finally, we present our interferometric continuum and spectroscopic images of the disk around the Herbig Be star R Mon. We have determined the kinematics and physical structure of the disk associated with this B0 star. The low spectral index derived from the dust emission as well as the flat geometry of the disk suggest a more rapid evolution of the disks associated with massive stars. In the Discussion, we dare to propose a possible evolutionary sequence for the warm circumstellar material around IM stars.