Multitemperature mapping of dust structures throughout the Galactic Plane using the PPMAP tool with Herschel Hi-GAL data

We describe new Hi-GAL based maps of the entire Galactic Plane, obtained using continuum data in the wavelength range 70–500 μm. These maps are derived with the PPMAP procedure, and therefore represent a significant improvement over those obtained with standard analysis techniques. Specifically they have greatly improved resolution (12 arcsec) and, in addition to more accurate integrated column densities and mean dust temperatures, they give temperature-differential column densities, i.e., separate column density maps in twelve distinct dust temperature intervals, along with the corresponding uncertainty maps. The complete set of maps is available online. We briefly describe PPMAP and present some illustrative examples of the results. These include (a) multi-temperature maps of the Galactic H II region W5-E, (b) the temperature decomposition of molecular cloud column-density probability distribution functions, and (c) the global variation of mean dust temperature as a function of Galactocentric distance. Amongst our findings are: (i) a strong localised temperature gradient in W5-E in a direction orthogonal to that towards the ionising star, suggesting an alternative heating source and providing possible guidance for models of the formation of the bubble complex, and (ii) the overall radial profile of dust temperature in the Galaxy shows a monotonic decrease, broadly consistent both with models of the interstellar radiation field and with previous estimates at lower resolution. However, we also find a central temperature plateau within ∼6 kpc of the Galactic centre, outside of which is a pronounced steepening of the radial profile. This behaviour may reflect the greater proportion of molecular (as opposed to atomic) gas in the central region of the Galaxy

ATLASGAL - star forming efficiencies and the Galactic star formation rate

The ATLASGAL survey has characterized the properties of approximately 1000 embedded H ii regions and found an empirical relationship between the clump mass and bolometric luminosity that covers 3-4 orders of magnitude. Comparing this relation with simulated clusters drawn from an initial mass function and using different star formation efficiencies we find that a single value is unable to fit the observed luminosity to mass (L/M) relation. We have used a Monte Carlo simulation to generate 200 000 clusters using the L/M-ratio as a constraint to investigate how the star formation efficiency changes as a function of clump mass. This has revealed that the star formation efficiency decreases with increasing clump mass with a value of 0.2 for clumps with masses of a few hundred solar masses and dropping to 0.08 for clumps with masses of a few thousand solar masses. We find good agreement between our results and star formation efficiencies determined from counts of embedded objects in nearby molecular clouds. Using the star formation efficiency relationship and the infrared excess time for embedded star formation of 2 ± 1 Myr we estimate the Galactic star formation rate to be approximately 0.9 ± 0.45 M· yr-1, which is in good agreement with previously reported values. This model has the advantage of providing a direct means of determining the star formation rate and avoids the difficulties encountered in converting infrared luminosities to stellar mass that affect previous galactic and extragalactic studies

CHIMPS: Physical properties of molecular clumps across the inner Galaxy

The latest generation of high-angular-resolution unbiased Galactic plane surveys in molecular-gas tracers are enabling the interiors of molecular clouds to be studied across a range of environments. The CO Heterodyne Inner MilkyWay Plane Survey (CHIMPS) simultaneously mapped a sector of the inner Galactic plane, within 27:8 . 46:2 and jbj 0: 5, in 13CO (3-2) and C18O (3-2) at an angular resolution of 15 arcsec. The combination of the CHIMPS data with 12CO (3-2) data from the CO High Resolution Survey (COHRS) has enabled us to perform a voxel-by-voxel local-thermodynamic-equilibrium (LTE) analysis, determining the excitation temperature, optical depth, and column density of 13CO at each; b; v position. Distances to discrete sources identified by FELLWALKER in the 13CO (3-2) emission maps were determined, allowing the calculation of numerous physical properties of the sources, and we present the first source catalogues in this paper.We find that, in terms of size and density, the CHIMPS sources represent an intermediate population between large-scale molecular clouds identified by CO and dense clumps seen in thermal dust continuum emission, and therefore represent the bulk transition from the diffuse to the dense phase of molecular gas.We do not find any significant systematic variations in the masses, column densities, virial parameters, mean excitation temperature, or the turbulent pressure over the range of Galactocentric distance probed, but we do find a shallow increase in the mean volume density with increasing Galactocentric distance. We find that inter-arm clumps have significantly narrower linewidths, and lower virial parameters and excitation temperatures than clumps located in spiral arms. When considering the most reliable distance-limited subsamples, the largest variations occur on the clump-to-clump scale, echoing similar recent studies that suggest that the star-forming process is largely insensitive to the Galactic-scale environment, at least within the inner disc

An ALMA study of hub-filament systems – I. On the clump mass concentration within the most massive cores

The physical processes behind the transfer of mass from parsec-scale clumps to massive star-forming cores remain elusive. We investigate the relation between the clump morphology and the mass fraction that ends up in its most massive core (MMC) as a function of infrared brightness, i.e. a clump evolutionary tracer. Using Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) 12 m and Atacama Compact Array, we surveyed six infrared dark hubs in 2.9 mm continuum at ∼3 arcsec resolution. To put our sample into context, we also re-analysed published ALMA data from a sample of 29 high-mass surface density ATLASGAL sources. We characterize the size, mass, morphology, and infrared brightness of the clumps using Herschel and Spitzer data. Within the six newly observed hubs, we identify 67 cores, and find that the MMCs have masses between 15 and 911 M⊙ within a radius of 0.018–0.156 pc. The MMC of each hub contains 3–24 per cent of the clump mass (fMMC), becoming 5–36 per cent once core masses are normalized to the median core radius. Across the 35 clumps, we find no significant difference in the median fMMC values of hub and non-hub systems, likely the consequence of a sample bias. However, we find that fMMC is ∼7.9 times larger for infrared dark clumps compared to infrared bright ones. This factor increases up to ∼14.5 when comparing our sample of six infrared dark hubs to infrared bright clumps. We speculate that hub-filament systems efficiently concentrate mass within their MMC early on during its evolution. As clumps evolve, they grow in mass, but such growth does not lead to the formation of more massive MMCs

From clump to disc scales in W3 IRS4 A case study of the IRAM NOEMA large programme CORE

Context. High-mass star formation typically takes place in a crowded environment, with a higher likelihood of young forming stars affecting and being affected by their surroundings and neighbours, as well as links between different physical scales affecting the outcome. However, observational studies are often focused on either clump or disc scales exclusively. Aims. We explore the physical and chemical links between clump and disc scales in the high-mass star formation region W3 IRS4, a region that contains a number of different evolutionary phases in the high-mass star formation process, as a case-study for what can be achieved as part of the IRAM NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) large programme named CORE: “Fragmentation and disc formation in high-mass star formation”. Methods. We present 1.4 mm continuum and molecular line observations with the IRAM NOEMA interferometer and 30 m telescope, which together probe spatial scales from ~0.3−20′′ (600−40 000 AU or 0.003−0.2 pc at 2 kpc, the distance to W3). As part of our analysis, we used XCLASS to constrain the temperature, column density, velocity, and line-width of the molecular emission lines. Results. The W3 IRS4 region includes a cold filament and cold cores, a massive young stellar object (MYSO) embedded in a hot core, and a more evolved ultra-compact (UC)H II region, with some degree of interaction between all components of the region that affects their evolution. A large velocity gradient is seen in the filament, suggesting infall of material towards the hot core at a rate of 10−3−10−4 M⊙ yr−1, while the swept up gas ring in the photodissociation region around the UCH II region may be squeezing the hot core from the other side. There are no clear indications of a disc around the MYSO down to the resolution of the observations (600 AU). A total of 21 molecules are detected, with the abundances and abundance ratios indicating that many molecules were formed in the ice mantles of dust grains at cooler temperatures, below the freeze-out temperature of CO (≲35 K). This contrasts with the current bulk temperature of ~50 K, which was obtained from H2CO. Conclusions. CORE observations allow us to comprehensively link the different structures in the W3 IRS4 region for the first time. Our results argue that the dynamics and environment around the MYSO W3 IRS4 have a significant impact on its evolution. This context would be missing if only high resolution or continuum observations were available

The HI/OH/Recombination line survey of the inner Milky Way (THOR)

Context: The past decade has witnessed a large number of Galactic plane surveys at angular resolutions below 20". However, no comparable high-resolution survey exists at long radio wavelengths around 21cm in line and continuum emission. Methods: Employing the Very Large Array (VLA) in the C-array configuration and a large program, we observe the HI 21cm line, four OH lines, nineteen Halpha radio recombination lines as well as the continuum emission from 1 to 2GHz in full polarization over a large part of the first Galactic quadrant. Results: Covering Galactic longitudes from 14.5 to 67.4deg and latitudes between +-1.25deg, we image all of these lines and the continuum at ~20" resolution. These data allow us to study the various components of the interstellar medium (ISM): from the atomic phase, traced by the HI line, to the molecular phase, observed by the OH transitions, to the ionized medium, revealed by the cm continuum and the Halpha radio recombination lines. Furthermore, the polarized continuum emission enables magnetic field studies. In this overview paper, we discuss the survey outline and present the first data release as well as early results from the different datasets. We now release the first half of the survey; the second half will follow later after the ongoing data processing has been completed. The data in fits format (continuum images and line data cubes) can be accessed through the project web-page http://www.mpia.de/thor. Conclusions: The HI/OH/Recombination line survey of the Milky Way (THOR) opens a new window to the different parts of the ISM. It enables detailed studies of molecular cloud formation, conversion of atomic to molecular gas, and feedback from HII regions as well as the magnetic field in the Milky Way. It is highly complementary to other surveys of our Galaxy, and comparing different datasets allows us to address many open questions

Characteristic scale of star formation - I. Clump formation efficiency on local scales

We have used the ratio of column densities derived independently from the 850-μm continuum James Clerk Maxwell Telescope Plane Survey and the 13CO/C18O (J = 3 → 2) Heterodyne Inner Milky Way Plane Survey to produce maps of the dense-gas mass fraction (DGMF) in two slices of the Galactic plane centred at ℓ = 30° and 40°. The observed DGMF is a metric for the instantaneous clump formation efficiency (CFE) in the molecular gas. We split the two fields into velocity components corresponding to the spiral arms that cross them, and a two-dimensional power-spectrum analysis of the spiral-arm DGMF maps reveals a break in slope at the approximate size scale of molecular clouds. We interpret this as the characteristic scale of the amplitude of variations in the CFE and a constraint on the dominant mechanism regulating the CFE and, hence, the star formation efficiency in CO-traced clouds

Core fragmentation and Toomre stability analysis of W3(H2O): A case study of the IRAM NOEMA large program CORE

The fragmentation mode of high-mass molecular clumps and the properties of the central rotating structures surrounding the most luminous objects have yet to be comprehensively characterised. Using the IRAM NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) and the IRAM 30-m telescope, the CORE survey has obtained high-resolution observations of 20 well-known highly luminous star-forming regions in the 1.37 mm wavelength regime in both line and dust continuum emission. We present the spectral line setup of the CORE survey and a case study for W3(H2O). At ~0.35" (700 AU at 2 kpc) resolution, the W3(H2O) clump fragments into two cores (West and East), separated by ~2300 AU. Velocity shifts of a few km/s are observed in the dense-gas tracer, CH3CN, across both cores, consistent with rotation and perpendicular to the directions of two bipolar outflows, one emanating from each core. The kinematics of the rotating structure about W3(H2O) W shows signs of differential rotation of material, possibly in a disk-like object. The observed rotational signature around W3(H2O) E may be due to a disk-like object, an unresolved binary (or multiple) system, or a combination of both. We fit the emission of CH3CN (12-11) K = 4-6 and derive a gas temperature map with a median temperature of ~165 K across W3(H2O). We create a Toomre Q map to study the stability of the rotating structures against gravitational instability. The rotating structures appear to be Toomre unstable close to their outer boundaries, with a possibility of further fragmentation in the differentially-rotating core W3(H2O) W. Rapid cooling in the Toomre-unstable regions supports the fragmentation scenario. Combining millimeter dust continuum and spectral line data toward the famous high-mass star-forming region W3(H2O), we identify core fragmentation on large scales, and indications for possible disk fragmentation on smaller spatial scales

Fragmentation and disk formation during high-mass star formation: The IRAM NOEMA (Northern Extended Millimeter Array) large program CORE

Aims: We aim to understand the fragmentation as well as the disk formation, outflow generation and chemical processes during high-mass star formation on spatial scales of individual cores. Methods: Using the IRAM Northern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) in combination with the 30m telescope, we have observed in the IRAM large program CORE the 1.37mm continuum and spectral line emission at high angular resolution (~0.4'') for a sample of 20 well-known high-mass star-forming regions with distances below 5.5kpc and luminosities larger than 10^4Lsun. Results: We present the overall survey scope, the selected sample, the observational setup and the main goals of CORE. Scientifically, we concentrate on the mm continuum emission on scales on the order of 1000AU. We detect strong mm continuum emission from all regions, mostly due to the emission from cold dust. The fragmentation properties of the sample are diverse. We see extremes where some regions are dominated by a single high-mass core whereas others fragment into as many as 20 cores. A minimum-spanning-tree analysis finds fragmentation at scales on the order of the thermal Jeans length or smaller suggesting that turbulent fragmentation is less important than thermal gravitational fragmentation. The diversity of highly fragmented versus singular regions can be explained by varying initial density structures and/or different initial magnetic field strengths. Conclusions: The smallest observed separations between cores are found around the angular resolution limit which indicates that further fragmentation likely takes place on even smaller spatial scales. The CORE project with its numerous spectral line detections will address a diverse set of important physical and chemical questions in the field of high-mass star formation

ATLASGAL - evolutionary trends in high-mass star formation

ATLASGAL is an 870-μm dust survey of 420 deg2 the inner Galactic plane and has been used to identify ∼10 000 dense molecular clumps. Dedicated follow-up observations and complementary surveys are used to characterize the physical properties of these clumps, map their Galactic distribution, and investigate the evolutionary sequence for high-mass star formation. The analysis of the ATLASGAL data is ongoing: We present an up-to-date version of the catalogue. We have classified 5007 clumps into four evolutionary stages (quiescent, protostellar, young stellar objects and H ii regions) and find similar numbers of clumps in each stage, suggesting a similar lifetime. The luminosity-to-mass (Lbol/Mfwhm) ratio curve shows a smooth distribution with no significant kinks or discontinuities when compared to the mean values for evolutionary stages indicating that the star formation process is continuous and that the observational stages do not represent fundamentally different stages or changes in the physical mechanisms involved. We compare the evolutionary sample with other star formation tracers (methanol and water masers, extended green objects and molecular outflows) and find that the association rates with these increases as a function of evolutionary stage, confirming that our classification is reliable. This also reveals a high association rate between quiescent sources and molecular outflows, revealing that outflows are the earliest indication that star formation has begun and that star formation is already ongoing in many of the clumps that are dark even at 70 μm