The Envelope-Disk-Outflow System in Massive Protostellar Source G339.88-1.26 (original) (raw)

2018, arXiv (Cornell University)

We report molecular line observations of the massive protostellar source G339.88-1.26 with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array. The observations reveal a highly collimated SiO jet extending from the 1.3 mm continuum source, which connects to a slightly wider but still highly collimated CO outflow. Rotational features perpendicular to the outflow axis are detected in various molecular emissions, including SiO, SO$_2$, H$_2$S, CH$_3$OH, and H$_2$CO emissions. Based on their spatial distributions and kinematics, we find that they trace different parts of the envelope-disk system. The SiO traces the disk and inner envelope in addition to the jet, the CH$_3$OH and H$_2$CO trace the infalling-rotating envelope outside of the disk, and the SO$_2$ and H$_2$S appear enhanced around the transition region between envelope and disk, i.e., the centrifugal barrier, as well as the outer part of the disk. Envelope kinematics are consistent with rotating-infalling motion, while those of the disk are consistent with Keplerian rotation. The radius and velocity of the centrifugal barrier are estimated to be about 530 au and 6 km s$^{-1}$, leading to a central mass of about 11M˜odot11~M_\odot11M˜odot, consistent with estimates based on spectral energy distribution fitting. These results indicate that an ordered transition from an infalling-rotating envelope to a Keplerian disk through a centrifugal barrier, accompanied by change of chemical composition, is a valid description of this massive protostellar source. This implies that at least some massive stars form in a similar way as low-mass stars via Core Accretion.