Convergent flows and low-velocity shocks in DR21(OH)

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution molecular line observations of DR21(OH) to identify convergent flows and low-velocity shocks, providing insights into the early stages of massive star formation within dense cores.

Contribution

It presents the first detection of low-velocity shocks associated with small-scale convergent flows in a massive star-forming region.

Findings

Detection of multiple velocity components indicating convergent flows.

Extended CH3CN emission tracing warm gas at flow convergence points.

Evidence that MDCs are actively accreting material over multiple crossing times.

Abstract

DR21(OH) is a pc-scale massive, 7000 Msun clump hosting three massive dense cores (MDCs) at an early stage of their evolution. We present a high angular-resolution mosaic, covering 70" by 100", with the IRAM PdBI at 3 mm to trace the dust continuum emission and the N2H+ (J=1-0) and CH3CN (J=5-4) molecular emission. The cold, dense gas traced by the compact emission in N2H+ is associated with the three MDCs and shows several velocity components towards each MDC. These velocity components reveal local shears in the velocity fields which are best interpreted as convergent flows. Moreover, we report the detection of weak extended emission from CH3CN at the position of the N2H+ velocity shears. We propose that this extended CH3CN emission is tracing warm gas associated with the low-velocity shocks expected at the location of convergence of the flows where velocity shears are observed. This is the first detection of low-velocity shocks associated with small (sub-parsec) scale convergent flows which are proposed to be at the origin of the densest structures and of the formation of (high-mass) stars. In addition, we propose that MDCs may be active sites of star-formation for more than a crossing time as they continuously receive material from larger scale flows as suggested by the global picture of dynamical, gravity driven evolution of massive clumps which is favored by the present observations.