Integral Field Spectroscopy of Massive Young Stellar Objects in the N113 H\,{\sc ii} Region in the Large Magellanic Cloud

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution integral field spectroscopy to analyze massive young stellar objects in the N113 HII region of the Large Magellanic Cloud, revealing complex morphologies, kinematics, and evolutionary stages.

Contribution

It provides detailed spatial and spectral analysis of YSOs in N113, uncovering multiple sources, velocity fields, and emission features with high-resolution data, advancing understanding of massive star formation.

Findings

Identified six K-band sources within three Spitzer YSO candidates.

Mapped velocity fields indicating two expanding HII regions.

Detected a potential molecular outflow in one source.

Abstract

The \textit{Spitzer} SAGE survey has allowed the identification and analysis of significant samples of Young Stellar Object (YSO) candidates in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). However the angular resolution of \textit{Spitzer} is relatively poor meaning that at the distance of the LMC, it is likely that many of the \textit{Spitzer} YSO candidates in fact contain multiple components. We present high resolution \textit{K}-band integral field spectroscopic observations of the three most prominent massive YSO candidates in the N113 H\,{\sc ii} region using VLT/SINFONI. We have identified six \textit{K}-band continuum sources within the three \textit{Spitzer} sources and we have mapped the morphology and velocity fields of extended line emission around these sources. Br$\gamma$, He\,{\sc i} and H$_2$ emission is found at the position of all six \textit{K}-band sources; we discuss whether the emission is associated with the continuum sources or whether it is ambient emission. H$_2$ emission appears to be mostly ambient emission and no evidence of CO emission arising in the discs of YSOs has been found. We have mapped the centroid velocities of extended Br$\gamma$ emission and He {\sc i} emission and found evidence of two expanding compact H\,{\sc ii} regions. One source shows compact and strong H$_2$ emission suggestive of a molecular outflow. The diversity of spectroscopic properties observed is interpreted in the context of a range of evolutionary stages associated with massive star formation.