The high-mass disk candidates NGC7538IRS1 and NGC7538S

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution interferometry to investigate the structure and dynamics of high-mass star-forming regions NGC7538IRS1 and NGC7538S, revealing dense cores, infall activity, and hierarchical fragmentation.

Contribution

It provides detailed observational evidence of the physical conditions and kinematics in high-mass star-forming regions at unprecedented resolution.

Findings

NGC7538IRS1 is a single, dense, massive core with high infall rates.

NGC7538S fragments into multiple sub-sources with different evolutionary stages.

Velocity gradients and spectral line data reveal complex kinematics and ongoing star formation.

Abstract

Context: The nature of embedded accretion disks around forming high-mass stars is one of the missing puzzle pieces for a general understanding of the formation of the most massive and luminous stars. Methods: Using the Plateau de Bure Interferometer at 1.36mm wavelengths in its most extended configuration we probe the dust and gas emission at ~0.3",corresponding to linear resolution elements of ~800AU. Results: NGC7538IRS1 remains a single compact and massive gas core with extraordinarily high column densities, corresponding to visual extinctions on the order of 10^5mag, and average densities within the central 2000AU of ~2.1x10^9cm^-3 that have not been measured before. We identify a velocity gradient across in northeast-southwest direction that is consistent with the mid-infrared emission, but we do not find a gradient that corresponds to the proposed CH3OH maser disk. The spectral line data toward NGC7538IRS1 reveal strong blue- and red-shifted absorption toward the mm continuum peak position. The red-shifted absorption allows us to estimate high infall rates on the order of 10^-2 Msun/yr. Although we cannot prove that the gas will be accreted in the end, the data are consistent with ongoing star formation activity in a scaled-up low-mass star formation scenario. Compared to that, NGC7538S fragments in a hierarchical fashion into several sub-sources. While the kinematics of the main mm peak are dominated by the accompanying jet, we find rotational signatures from a secondary peak. Furthermore, strong spectral line differences exist between the sub-sources which is indicative of different evolutionary stages within the same large-scale gas clump.