Near-Infrared Observations of the Massive Star Forming Region IRAS 23151＋5912

Near-infrared images and K-band spectroscopy of the massive star-forming region IRAS 23151+5912 are presented. The JHK' images reveal an embed-ded infrared cluster associated with infrared nebula, and the H_2 (2.12μm) narrow-band image provides for the first time evidence of outflow activity associated withthe cluster. That the cluster is young can be shown by the high percentage ofinfrared excess sources and the outflow activity. We suggest an age of the clus-ter of ～ 10~6yr. Eight young stars are found in the bright nebular core aroundIRAS 23151+5912. By the color-magnitude diagrams of the cluster, we found fivehigh--mass YSOs and four intermediate-mass YSOs in the cluster. Eight H_2 emissionfeatures are discovered in the region with a scattered and non-axisymmetric distri-bution, indicating the existence of multiple outflows driven by the cluster. DiffuseH_2 emission detected to the north and to the west of the cluster may result fromUV leakage of the cluster. Brγ, H_2, and CIV emission lines are     

Near—Infrared Imaging Observations of the Orion A—W Star Forming Region

We carried out near-infrared imaging observations of the Ori A-W region using the Italian 1.5m TIRGO infrared telescope at Gornergrat. A group of infrared objects is visible on the K band image, including an IRAS source (IRS 1). From its IRAS flux density the IRAS luminosity is derived to be 45L⊙, which shows that IRS 1 is a low-mass protostar. By superimposing the position of the VLA H2O maser on the K image, we can identify the less evolved object IRS 1 as the excitation source of the H2O maser, within a projected distance of 470AU. This would be evidence that the maser effect is associated with the youngest phase of stellar evolution. The first probable HH object candidate in the Ori A-W region is discovered from the H2 S(1) 1-0 observation. Comparing the position of the H2O maser with the direction of the molecular hydrogen emission in the region, we suggest that the observed H2O maser could be tracing the circumstellar disk of IRS 1.     

The Gas to Dust Ratio in Three Star Forming Regionstwo

Gas to Dust Ratio (GDR) indicates the mass ratio of interstellar gas to dust. It is widely adopted that the GDR in our Galaxy is 100～150. We choose three typical star forming regions to study the GDR: the Orion molecular cloud — a massive star forming region, the Taurus molecular cloud — a low-mass star forming region, and the Polaris molecular cloud — a region with no or very few star formation activities. The mass of gas only takes account of the neutral gas, i.e. only the atomic and molecular hydrogen, because the amount of ionized gas is very small in a molecular cloud. The column density of atomic hydrogen is taken from the high-resolution and high-sensitivity all-sky survey EBHIS (Effelsberg-Bonn HI Survey). The CO J = 1 →0 line is used to trace the molecular hydrogen, since the spectral lines of molecular hydrogen which can be detected are rare. The intensity of CO J = 1 →0 line is taken from the Planck all-sky survey. The mass of dust is traced by the interstellar extinction based on the 2MASS (Two Micron All Sky Survey) photometric database in the direction of anti-Galactic center. Adopting a constant conversion coefficient from the integrated intensity of the CO line to the column density of molecular hydrogen, X_CO = 2.0 × 10²⁰ cm^?2 · (K · km/s)^?1, the gas to dust ratio N(H)/A_V is calculated, which is 25, 38, and 55 (in units of 10²⁰ cm^?2 · mag^?1) for the Orion, Taurus, and Polaris molecular clouds, respectively. These values are significantly higher than the previously obtained average value of the Galaxy. Adopting the WD01 interstellar dust model (when the V-band selective extinction ratio is R_V = 3.1), the derived GDRs are 160, 243, and 354 for the Orion, Taurus, and Polaris molecular clouds, respectively, which are apparently higher than 100～150, the commonly accepted GDR of the diffuse interstellar medium. The high N(H)/A_V values in the star forming regions may be explained by the growth of dust in the molecular clouds because of either the particle collision or accretion, which can lead to the reduction of extinction efficiency per unit mass in the V band, rather than the increase of the GDR itself.     

一个大质量恒星形成复合体的动力学性质

恒星形成于分子云之中, 分子外向流是恒星形成正在进行的重要动力学特征, 也是研究和认识恒星形成的重要契入点. 利用紫金山天文台青海观测站德令哈13.7m毫米波望远镜, 采用5种分子谱线探针(包括¹²CO、¹³CO、C¹⁸O、HCO$^+$ $J=1-0$和CS $J=2-1$, J为角动量量子数), 对一个包含IRAS 19230+1506、IRAS 19232+1504和G050.3179--00.4186这3个源的大质量恒星形成复合体进行了成图观测研究. 通过对以上分子谱线数据并结合红外波段巡天数据的分析, 在这3个源中首次探测到了分子外向流活动, 并确定了分子外向流的中心驱动源. 最后对这3个源进行了分子外向流相关物理量参数的计算, 分析了这些物理量参数之间的关系, 结果表明分子外向流的性质与中心驱动源的性质息息相关.     

Detection of CO Outflow in Rotating Cores

We investigate the effect of bulk motion on the detection of molecular outflows in the sources S 146, GGD27, and IRAS 22566 5830. The traditional techniques do allow for bulk motions or systematic VLSR shifts of the core emissions, which may cause contamination of the high velocity gas emissions, and outflows may either fail to be detected or have their properties miscalculated. We used a program to follow the systematic shift of VLSR and better results have been obtained.     

Star formation in NGC 6334 I and I(N)

The northern section of the molecular cloud complex NGC 6334 has been mapped in the CO and CS spectral line emission and in continuum emission at a wavelength of 1300 μm. Our observations highlight the two dominant sources, I and I(N), and a host of weaker sources. NGC 6334 I is associated with a cometary ultracompact H  ii region and a hot, compact core ≤10 arcsec in size. Mid-infrared and CH₃OH observations indicate that it is also associated with at least two protostellar sources, each of which may drive a molecular outflow. For region I we confirm the extreme high-velocity outflow first discovered by Bachiller & Cernicharo and find that it is very energetic with a mechanical luminosity of 390 L_⊙. A dynamical age for the outflow is ∼3000 yr. We also find a weaker outflow originating from the vicinity of NGC 6334 I. In CO and CS this outflow is quite prominent to the north-west, but much less so on the eastern side of I, where there is very little molecular gas. Spectral survey data show a molecular environment at position I which is rich in methanol, methyl formate and dimethyl ether, with lines ranging in energy up to 900 K above the ground state. NGC 6334 I(N) is more dense than I, but cooler, and has none of the high-excitation lines observed toward I. I(N) also has an associated outflow, but it is less energetic than the outflow from I. The fully sampled continuum map shows a network of filaments, voids and cores, many of which are likely to be sites of star formation. A striking feature is a narrow, linear ridge which defines the western boundary. It is unclear if there is a connection between this filament and the many potential sites of star formation, or if the filament existed prior to the star formation activity.     

Evidence of Evolution in the Dense Cores in Massive Star Forming Regions

The excitation of H2O masers usually needs very high density gas, hence it can serve as a marker of dense gas in HII region. We selected a sample of H2O maser sources from Plume et al. (four with, and four without detected CS(J = 7-6) emission), and observed them in 13CO(J=1-0) and C18O (J=1-0). C18O (J=1-0) emission was detected only in three of the sources with detected CS(J=7-6) emission. An analysis combined with some data in the literature suggests that these dense cores may be located at different evolutionary stages. Multi-line observation study may provide us clues on the evolution of massive star forming regions and the massive stars themselves.     

A Search for High-velocity Gas Associated H_2O Masers and Ultracompact HII Regions

1 INTRODUCTIONA violent molecular outflow is a bajsic component of star formation process. Such outflowsare observed over a wide range of wavelength from the ultraviolet to the radio, resulting fromthe interaction of highly supersonic stellar winds with the alnbiellt material and the windejection takes place in the vicinity of a newly formed star. Outflows are produced by starsof all massess but currellt outflow theories are predominantly based on observations of nearby,low-mass outflow sy…     

Large－Scale Distribution of Herbig－Haro Objects in Taurus

We report our new results on Herbig-Haro (HH) objects in the star forming region of Taurus from a wide-field survey with the 60/90 cm Schmidt telescope of the Beijing Astronomical Observatory. This survey using CCD imaging with a narrow band [SII] filter and an intermediate band [BATC10] filter covered approximately 30 square degrees in Taurus. Besides confirming the known HH Objects in the region, we discovered seven new HH candidates, and groups. Six of these are HH 701A-B, HH 702A-D, HH 703, HH 704A-D, HH 705, HH 706 and the seventh is a group, a new component of HH 319, labeled HH 319B-D. Based on the large-scale distribution of pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars in Taurus, we analyze statistically the most probable distance from the HH objects to each PMS star, from which we estimate the typical timescale of these HH objects to be between (1.3 - 2.0) ×104 yrs; and we also obtain the birth rates of HH objects: 0.447±0.198 for Class Ⅰ PMS stars, 0.360±0.222 for Class Ⅱ PMS stars, and -0.148±0.234 fo     

Further evidence for the FU Orionis nature of PP 13S

We present optical and near-infrared images and spectroscopy together with submillimetre images of the candidate FU Orionis pre-main-sequence star PP 13S. A comparison of historical plates with our new images shows that PP 13S has dimmed and changed optical morphology significantly over the last half-century. In addition, its optical spectrum has undergone dramatic changes over a period of 18 yr from one dominated by strong continuum emission to one showing only ionized, shock-excited emission lines. The current association with several features indicative of both accretion and outflow suggests that, within the last few hundred years, PP 13S passed through an elevated emission state characteristic of the high-accretion events of known FU Orionis-type stars, and has since declined, over the last few decades, to a more quiescent state. The result of the outburst may well have been the formation of the shock-excited Herbig–Haro jet seen to extend from the obscured young star.
We additionally see significant morphological evolution of the source PP 13N . Its apparent association with a Herbig–Haro flow suggests that it also is actively accreting and driving a bipolar outflow.     

Molecular Cores and Young Clusters of Star Forming Regions

By using the 13.7 m millimeter wave telescope of the Qinghai Station of Purple Mountain Observatory at Delingha, we have performed the mapping observations simultaneously at the (J = 1-0) lines of ¹²CO, ¹³CO and C¹⁸O towards respectively the 17 star forming regions associated with clusters. All of them show rather strong C¹⁸O emission, except IRAS 04547+4753. Because of the different sizes of molecular clouds, there are 13 regions being observed to the half maximum of ¹³CO integrated intensity, and the large-area mapping observation has not been made for the other 4 regions with rather large extents. Based on the observed data, the physical properties of molecular cores are calculated, such as the line width, brightness temperature, size, density and mass. The averaged ratios of the virial mass M_vir and local thermodynamic equilibrium mass M_LTE of the ¹³CO and C¹⁸O cores are 0.66 and 0.74, respectively, suggesting that these cores are nearly at the virial equilibrium state. In order to compare the cores and clusters in morphologies, the contour maps of the integrated intensities of ¹³CO and C¹⁸O are overlaid on the K-band images of 2MASS. At the same time, the sizes and masses of the clusters associated with cores are calculated by adopting the photometric results of the near-infrared point sources in 2MASS database. Based on the derived masses of the molecular cores and clusters, the star formation efficiency (SFE) is calculated for the molecular clouds, and we find that it varies in the range from 10% to 30%.     

Optical emission at 5800 Å in the Red Rectangle and the 5797-Å diffuse interstellar band

An analysis of the intensity and spatial distribution of the discrete 5800-Å emission band in the spectrum of the Red Rectangle has been used to constrain the abundance and physical properties of the carrier of this emission. An origin in a large (>30 C atom) molecule is indicated. This molecule is formed in situ in the Red Rectangle, but is also a component of the diffuse interstellar medium. The UV photodissociation probability for this molecule is ≲10⁻⁵ per absorbed photon, and the luminescence efficiency is in the range 10⁻²–10⁻³. This molecule may be a product of the dissociation of carbonaceous dust.     

新单极高速分子外向流源IRAS19282+1814

^12CoJ=1-0成图观测表明在IRAS19282 1814附近存在着一个蓝向单极高速分子外流，计算了其基本参量并进行了分析，它的成协红外源IRAS19282 1814可能是大质量年轻星体，其IRAS波段色指数表明该源深埋于气体和尘埃物质之中，由60-100μm流量密度获得尘埃温度为30K,它的附近没有其他的源，所以IRAS19282 1814可能是外向流的驱动源。     

IRAS 20231+3440区外流激发源的性质研究

给出红外点源IRAS 20231 3440附近恒星形成区近红外．JHK’和H2成像观测结果，以及与该IRAS点源成协的近红外点源IRS1的K波段分光观测结果．．JHK’观测显示该区域存在嵌埋的年轻星天体，H2窄波段观测揭示了若干个氢分子发射结点，其中有几个结点排列成线形，暗示分子氢喷流的存在．喷流的北部与已知观测的分子外流成协，表明二者之间存在联系．喷流的走向提示IRS1可能是其激发源，对IRS1的K波段分光观测给出了进一步的证据．从近红外、MSX及IRAS资料估计出IRS1的能谱分布，表明它是一个处于ClassI状态的中等质量的年轻星天体．     

A source of extended HCO+ emission in young stellar objects

Anomalous molecular line profile shapes are the strongest indicators of the presence of the infall of gas that is associated with star formation. Such profiles are seen for well-known tracers, such as HCO⁺, CS and H₂CO. In certain cases, optically thick emission lines with appropriate excitation criteria may possess the asymmetric double-peaked profiles that are characteristic of infall. However, recent interpretations of the HCO⁺ infall profile observed towards the protostellar infall candidate B335 have revealed a significant discrepancy between the inferred overall column density of the molecule and that which is predicted by standard dark cloud chemical modelling.
This paper presents a model for the source of the HCO⁺ emission excess. Observations have shown that, in low-mass star-forming regions, the collapse process is invariably accompanied by the presence of collimated outflows; we therefore propose the presence of an interface region around the outflow in which the chemistry is enriched by the action of jets. This hypothesis suggests that the line profiles of HCO⁺, as well as other molecular species, may require a more complex interpretation than can be provided by simple, chemically quiescent, spherically symmetric infall models.
The enhancement of HCO⁺ depends primarily on the presence of a shock-generated radiation field in the interface. Plausible estimates of the radiation intensity imply molecular abundances that are consistent with those observed. Further, high-resolution observations of an infall-outflow source show HCO⁺ emission morphology that is consistent with that predicted by this model.     

Water in star‐forming regions with Herschel

The Herschel Space Observatory is well suited to address several important questions in star‐ and planet formation, as is evident from its first year of operation. This paper focuses on observations of water, a key molecule in the physics and chemistry of star‐formation. In the WISH Key Program, a comprehensive set of water lines is being obtained with the HIFI and PACS instruments toward a large sample of well‐characterized protostars, covering a wide range of luminosities and evolutionary stages. Lines of H₂O, CO and their isotopologues, as well as chemically related hydrides, [O I] and [C II] are observed. Together, the data determine the abundance of water in cold and warm gas, reveal the entire CO ladder up to 4000 K above ground, elucidate the physical processes responsible for the warm gas (passive heating, UV or X‐ray‐heating, shocks), quantify the main cooling agents, and probe dynamical processes associated with forming stars and planets (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)