# Disk-mediated accretion burst in a high-mass young stellar object

## TL;DR

This paper reports the first observation of a disk-mediated accretion burst in a high-mass young stellar object, supporting the idea that star formation mechanisms are consistent across different stellar masses.

## Contribution

It provides the first evidence of a disk-mediated accretion burst in a ~20 solar mass high-mass star, extending the understanding of star formation processes.

## Key findings

- Detected a luminous accretion burst in a high-mass YSO
- Observed emission lines characteristic of accretion bursts
- Measured energy release and accretion rates orders of magnitude higher

## Abstract

Solar-mass stars form via circumstellar disk accretion (disk-mediated accretion). Recent findings indicate that this process is likely episodic in the form of accretion bursts, possibly caused by disk fragmentation. Although it cannot be ruled out that high-mass young stellar objects (HMYSOs; $M>$8 M$_\odot$, $L_{bol}>$5$\times$10$^3$ L$_\odot$) arise from the coalescence of their low-mass brethren, latest results suggest that they more likely form via disks. Accordingly, disk-mediated accretion bursts should occur. Here we report on the discovery of the first disk-mediated accretion burst from a $\sim$20 M$_\odot$ HMYSO. Our near-infrared images show the brightening of the central source and its outflow cavities. Near-infrared spectroscopy reveals emission lines typical of accretion bursts in low-mass protostars, but orders of magnitude more luminous. Moreover, the energy released and the inferred mass-accretion rate are also orders of magnitude larger. Our results identify disk accretion as the common mechanism of star formation across the entire stellar mass spectrum.