Massive Infrared-Quiet Dense Cores: Unveiling the Initial Conditions of High-Mass Star Formation

TL;DR

This paper proposes observational criteria for identifying massive infrared-quiet dense cores, which are potential early stages of high-mass star formation, and discusses how surveys are revealing initial conditions of this process.

Contribution

It introduces new criteria for detecting massive infrared-quiet dense cores and demonstrates how large-scale surveys are advancing understanding of high-mass star formation initial conditions.

Findings

Identification criteria for infrared-quiet dense cores

Survey-based insights into initial conditions of high-mass star formation

Potential link to high-mass Class 0 protostars

Abstract

As Pr. Th. Henning said at the conference, cold precursors of high-mass stars are now "hot topics". We here propose some observational criteria to identify massive infrared-quiet dense cores which can host the high-mass analogs of Class 0 protostars and pre-stellar condensations. We also show how far-infrared to millimeter imaging surveys of entire complexes forming OB stars are starting to unveil the initial conditions of high-mass star formation.