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Tracing Evolution in Massive Protostellar Objects – I. Fragmentation and emission properties of massive star-forming clumps in a luminosity-limited ALMA sample

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 526, pp. 2278–2300

Abstract

ABSTRACT The role of massive (≥ 8$\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$) stars in defining the energy budget and chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium in their host galaxy is significant. In this first paper from the Tracing Evolution in Massive Protostellar Objects (TEMPO) project we introduce a colour-luminosity selected (L* ∼ 3 × 103 to 1 × 105 L⊙) sample of 38 massive star-forming regions observed with ALMA at 1.3 mm and explore the fragmentation, clustering, and flux density properties of the sample. The TEMPO sample fields are each found to contain multiple fragments (between 2 and 15 per field). The flux density budget is split evenly (53 per cent–47 per cent) between fields where emission is dominated by a single high flux density fragment and those in which the combined flux density of fainter objects dominates. The fragmentation scales observed in most fields are not comparable with the thermal Jeans length, λJ, being larger in the majority of cases, suggestive of some non-thermal mechanism. A tentative evolutionary trend is seen between luminosity of the clump and the ‘spectral line richness’ of the TEMPO fields; with 6.7 GHz maser associated fields found to be lower luminosity and more line rich. This work also describes a method of line-free continuum channel selection within ALMA data and a generalized approach used to distinguishing sources which are potentially star-forming from those which are not, utilizing interferometric visibility properties.

Authors 19

  1. A. Avison corresponding

    University of Manchester · SKA Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School Of Natural Science, The University of Manchester , Manchester M13 9PL , UK

    SKA Observatory, Jodrell Bank , Lower Withington, Macclesfield SK11 9FT , UK

    UK ALMA Regional Centre Node , M13 9PL, Manchester , UK

  2. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · University of Cologne · University of Manchester · Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía

    Affiliation as printed

    I. Physikalisches Institut, University of Cologne , Zülpicher Str. 77, D-50937 Köln , Germany

    Intituto de Astrofísica de Andalucia (CSIC) , Glorieta de al Astronomia s/n, E-18008 Granada , Spain

    Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School Of Natural Science, The University of Manchester , Manchester M13 9PL , UK

    UK ALMA Regional Centre Node , M13 9PL, Manchester , UK

  3. University of Manchester · Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute, Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics Centre , Atomic-Haatso Road, Kwabenya, Accra, Greater Accra , Ghana

    Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School Of Natural Science, The University of Manchester , Manchester M13 9PL , UK

  4. University of Manchester

    Affiliation as printed

    Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School Of Natural Science, The University of Manchester , Manchester M13 9PL , UK

  5. University of Leeds

    Affiliation as printed

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds , Leeds LS2 9JT , UK

  6. University of Cologne · University of Manchester

    Affiliation as printed

    I. Physikalisches Institut, University of Cologne , Zülpicher Str. 77, D-50937 Köln , Germany

    Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School Of Natural Science, The University of Manchester , Manchester M13 9PL , UK

  7. Cardiff University

    Affiliation as printed

    School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University , Queens Buildings, The Parade, Cardiff CF24 3AA , UK

  8. National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    IAPS-INAF , Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, I-00133 Rome , Italy

  9. University of Groningen · Space Research Organisation Netherlands

    Affiliation as printed

    Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen , Groningen 9747 AD , Netherlands

    SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research , Landleven 12, 9747 AD Groningen , Netherlands

  10. Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics

    Affiliation as printed

    Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik , Giessenbachstrasse 1, D-85748 Garching , Germany

  11. Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri , Largo E. Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze , Italy

  12. Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy

    Affiliation as printed

    Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie , Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn , Germany

  13. University of Hertfordshire

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Astrophysics Research, Science and Technology Research Institute, University of Hertfordshire , College Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB , UK

  14. University of Leeds

    Affiliation as printed

    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds , Leeds LS2 9JT , UK

  15. Konkoly Observatory · HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences · Hungarian Research Network

    Affiliation as printed

    CSFK, MTA Centre of Excellence , Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, 1121 Budapest , Hungary

    Konkoly Observatory, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH) , Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, 1121 Budapest , Hungary

  16. Western Sydney University

    Affiliation as printed

    Western Sydney University , Kingswood, NSW 2747 , Australia

  17. Leiden University · Leiden Observatory · University College London

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London , Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT , UK

    Leiden Observatory , Leiden University, PO Box 9513, NL-2300 RA, Leiden , the Netherlands

  18. Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri , Largo E. Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze , Italy

  19. University of Cologne

    Affiliation as printed

    I. Physikalisches Institut, University of Cologne , Zülpicher Str. 77, D-50937 Köln , Germany

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References 73