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Masers as evolutionary tracers of high-mass star formation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2012

Shari L. Breen  and
Simon P. Ellingsen
Shari L. Breen
Affiliation:
CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, Australia Telescope National Facility, PO Box 76, Epping NSW 1710, Australia email: Shari.Breen@csiro.au
Simon P. Ellingsen
Affiliation:
School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 37, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
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Abstract

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Determining an evolutionary clock for high-mass star formation is an important step towards realising a unified theory of star formation, as it will enable qualitative studies of the associated high-mass stars to be executed. We have carried out detailed studies of a large number of sources suspected of undergoing high-mass star formation and have found that common maser transitions offer the best opportunity to determine an evolutionary scheme for these objects. We have investigated the relative evolutionary phases of massive star formation associated with the presence or absence of combinations of water, methanol and main-line hydroxyl masers. The locations of the different maser species have been compared with the positions of 1.2 mm dust clumps, radio continuum, GLIMPSE point sources and Extended Green Objects. Comparison between the characteristics of coincident sources has revealed strong evidence for an evolutionary sequence for the different maser species in high-mass star formation regions. We present our proposed sequence for the presence of the common maser species associated with young high-mass stars and highlight recent advances. We discuss future investigations that will be made in this area by comparing data from the Methanol Multibeam (MMB) Survey with chemical clocks from the Millimetre Astronomy Legacy Team 90 GHz (MALT90) Survey.

Keywords

masers – ISM: molecules – stars: formation
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 8 , Symposium S287: Cosmic Masers - from OH to H0 , January 2012 , pp. 156 - 160
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2012

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