EPoS Contribution
EPoS Contribution
Unveiling the traits of massive young stellar objects (MYSOs) using a multi-scale analysis

Abigail Frost
KUL, Leuven, BE
Young massive stars have the power to influence their surroundings from local to galactic scales, but their rarity and deeply embedded nature has limited our understanding of their formation. Work on single objects has given us valuable snapshots of the massive star formation process, but the fact remains that a lack of observational data prevents us from conclusively confirming its details. My work fits 3D radiative transfer models to three different observables simultaneously to constrain the physical characteristics of MYSOs. Through the combination of infrared interferometric data (~10mas resolution), imaging data (~100mas resolution) and SEDs, multiple scales of the MYSO environments are investigated. Through the employment of this methodology, the geometry of a sample of protostellar environments was constrained. The datasets of all the MYSOs in the sample are fit by models with a disk-outflow-envelope geometry. For over 60% of the sources, the minimum dust radius has to be larger than the dust sublimation radius to satisfy the data. At EPoS I wish to discuss potential causes for this inner clearing, and will start this by comparing the geometries found to their evolutionary classification, as determined through previous near-infrared spectral analysis.
Caption: This figure shows how the different observations used in the methodology trace different areas of the MYSO environment. In particular it was the high resolution interferometric data which allowed the detection of disks around the MYSOs, and unveiled the fact that inner clearing must also be present in these disks. This clearing and the findings from this multi-scale methodology will be discussed in the talk, and their consequences for massive star formation.
Collaborators:
R.D. Oudmaijer, UOL, UK
W.-J. de Wit, ESO, CL
S.L. Lumsden, UOL, UK
Key publication

Suggested Session: High-Mass Star Formation