The role of turbulence in high-mass star formation: Subsonic and transonic turbulence are ubiquitously found at early stages
Journal article, 2024

Context. Traditionally, supersonic turbulence is considered to be one of the most likely mechanisms slowing the gravitational collapse in dense clumps, thereby enabling the formation of massive stars. However, several recent studies have raised differing points of view based on observations carried out with sufficiently high spatial and spectral resolution. These studies call for a re-evaluation of the role turbulence plays in massive star-forming regions. Aims. Our aim is to study the gas properties, especially the turbulence, in a sample of massive star-forming regions with sufficient spatial and spectral resolution, which can both resolve the core fragmentation and the thermal line width. Methods. We observed NH3 metastable lines with the Very Large Array (VLA) to assess the intrinsic turbulence. Results. Analysis of the turbulence distribution histogram for 32 identified NH3 cores reveals the presence of three distinct components. Furthermore, our results suggest that (1) sub-and transonic turbulence is a prevalent (21 of 32) feature of massive star-forming regions and those cold regions are at early evolutionary stage. This investigation indicates that turbulence alone is insufficient to provide the necessary internal pressure required for massive star formation, necessitating further exploration of alternative candidates; and (2) studies of seven multi-core systems indicate that the cores within each system mainly share similar gas properties and masses. However, two of the systems are characterized by the presence of exceptionally cold and dense cores that are situated at the spatial center of each system. Our findings support the hub-filament model as an explanation for this observed distribution.

Radio lines: ISM

Turbulence

ISM: kinematics and dynamics

Submillimeter: ISM

Stars: formation

Author

Chao Wang

Beijing University of Technology

Ke Wang

Beijing University of Technology

Feng Wei Xu

Beijing University of Technology

Patricio Sanhueza

The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI)

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

Hauyu Baobab Liu

National Sun Yat-Sen University

Qizhou Zhang

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Xing Lu

Shanghai Astronomical Observatory

Francesco Fontani

Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory

P. Caselli

Max Planck Society

Gemma Busquet

Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)

University of Barcelona

Jonathan Tan

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics

Di Li

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Zhejiang Lab

J. M. Jackson

Green Bank Observatory

NASA Ames Research Center

University of Virginia

Thushara Pillai

Boston University

Paul T.P. Ho

Academia Sinica

East Asian Observatory

Andrés E. Guzmán

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

Nannan Yue

Beijing University of Technology

Astronomy and Astrophysics

0004-6361 (ISSN) 1432-0746 (eISSN)

Vol. 681 A51

Subject Categories

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology

Fluid Mechanics and Acoustics

DOI

10.1051/0004-6361/202347024

More information

Latest update

1/26/2024