Different Evolutionary Stages in the Massive Star Forming Region S255 Complex

TL;DR

This study investigates three regions within the S255 complex at different evolutionary stages of high-mass star formation using multi-wavelength observations, revealing diverse properties and evolutionary phases within the same molecular cloud.

Contribution

It provides a detailed multi-wavelength analysis of three star-forming regions at different stages, highlighting their distinct outflow, chemical, and stellar population characteristics.

Findings

S255IR shows a collimated bipolar outflow and complex molecules.

S255S has confined outflows and fewer molecular lines.

Two stellar populations in S255IR differ by about 1 million years.

Abstract

To understand evolutionary and environmental effects during the formation of high-mass stars, we observed three regions of massive star formation at different evolutionary stages that reside in the same natal molecular cloud. Methods. The three regions S255IR, S255N and S255S were observed at 1.3 mm with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and followup short spacing information was obtained with the IRAM 30m telescope. Near infrared (NIR) H + K-band spectra and continuum observations were taken for S255IR with VLT-SINFONI to study the different stellar populations in this region. The combination of millimeter (mm) and near infrared data allow us to characterize different stellar populations within the young forming cluster in detail. While we find multiple mm continuum sources toward all regions, their outflow, disk and chemical properties vary considerably. The most evolved source S255IR exhibits a collimated bipolar outflow visible in CO and H2 emission, the outflows from the youngest region S255S are still small and rather confined in the regions of the mm continuum peaks. Also the chemistry toward S255IR is most evolved exhibiting strong emission from complex molecules, while much fewer molecular lines are detected in S255N, and in S255S we detect only CO isotopologues and SO lines. Also, rotational structures are found toward S255N and S255IR. Furthermore, a comparison of the NIR SINFONI and mm data from S255IR clearly reveal two different (proto) stellar populations with an estimated age difference of approximately 1 Myr. A multi-wavelength spectroscopy and mapping study reveals different evolutionary phases of the star formation regions. We propose the triggered outside-in collapse star formation scenario for the bigger picture and the fragmentation scenario for S255IR.