Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011aas...21713305s&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #217, #133.05; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 43, 2011
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We present observations of the dense molecular clumps toward active star formation regions N105, N113, N159, and N44 in the LMC. Observations were performed with the Australia Telescope Compact Array in the 3 mm transitions of HCO+ and HCN. The observations reveal that the molecular material is clumpy, with individual clump masses between 102 and 104 solar masses and radii of <1 pc to 2 pc. While many of the clumps are coincident with tracers of star formation, we find several to be devoid of any star formation signposts. The clumps with on-going star formation are on average 3-5 times more massive than those without, suggesting that the mass of the most massive star a clump forms may be determined by the mass of the natal clump. Moreover, we find a possible correlation between the mass of a clump and the projected distance between the clump's center and the forming star, suggesting that as a massive star forms, it becomes displaced from the clump's emission peak as it dissipates a significant fraction (>1/2) of the surrounding clump. We also find a number of YSOs within the imaged regions that are not associated with HCO+ or HCN emission; these YSOs have presumably destroyed their natal clumps to become evolutionarily older than those in clumps. The strength of the 10 micron silicate absorption feature seen in mid-IR spectra of YSOs is correlated with a source's association with a molecular clump; objects within clumps have deep silicate features, while those outside clumps have features that are weak or non-existent. This correlation suggests the silicate feature is formed by material on clump-sized scales. Using a large sample of LMC massive YSO spectra, we estimate that 60% of the YSOs detected in the LMC via their mid-IR emission are no longer located in molecular clumps.
Looney Leslie W.
Ott Jorgen
Seale Jonathan P.
Wong Tai
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