1. G351.77–0.51: ridge formation caught in the act
- Author
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Paul Jones, Silvia Leurini, Timea Csengeri, T. Pillai, Friedrich Wyrowski, Paola Caselli, C. König, Karl M. Menten, Leonardo Testi, Thomas Stanke, and Maria Cunningham
- Subjects
Physics ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Star formation ,Young stellar object ,Extinction (astronomy) ,General Engineering ,Astronomy ,Astronomy and Astrophysics ,Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics ,Astrophysics ,Galactic plane ,Accretion (astrophysics) ,Protein filament ,Stars ,Space and Planetary Science ,Ridge ,Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics ,Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics - Abstract
The initial steps of star formation are now believed to be tightly linked to the dynamical evolution of interstellar filaments. Mass accretion from large scales in the form of sub-filaments seems to play a key role for the formation of massive filaments with A V > 100 mag, a criterion satisfied by ridges. In this contribution, we discuss the very close-by ridge G351.77–0.51, identified as the closest dense filament in the ATLASGAL survey of the inner Galactic plane. G351.77–0.51 is actively forming massive stars in at least two positions and other dust clumps have the potential to form intermediate to high-mass young stellar objects. It also exhibits a remarkable large-scale network of filamentary structures seen in extinction at 8 μ m which extend over the whole length of the ridge. The sub-filaments have the same velocity as the ridge. Their mass shows that mass-replenishment is probably still on-going in the source.
- Published
- 2015