Clumpy molecular structures revolving the B[e] supergiant MWC 137

TL;DR

This study investigates the spatial distribution of molecular gas around the B[e] supergiant MWC 137, revealing clumpy ring and shell structures of hot CO gas and a surrounding cold CO envelope, enhancing understanding of its circumstellar environment.

Contribution

The paper provides new high-resolution near-infrared and radio observations detailing the complex molecular gas structures around MWC 137, a B[e] supergiant, which were previously uncharacterized.

Findings

Hot CO gas forms moving clumpy rings and shells near the star.

A cold CO envelope encircles the optical nebula.

Spatial distribution of molecular gas is complex and structured.

Abstract

The peculiar emission-line star MWC 137 with its extended optical nebula was recently classified as B[e] supergiant. To study the spatial distribution of its circumstellar molecular gas on small and large scales, we obtained near-infrared and radio observations using SINFONI and APEX, respectively. We find that the hot CO gas is arranged in moving clumpy ring and shell structures close to the star, while a cold CO envelope is encircling the borders of the optical nebula from the south to the west.