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The study of physical and chemical properties of massive protostars is critical to better understand the evolutionary sequence which leads to the formation of high-mass stars. IRAS 18151-1208 is a nearby massive region (d = 3kpc, L ~ 20000 Lsun) which splits into three cores: MM1, MM2 and MM3 (separated by 1'-2'). We aim at (1) studying the physical and chemical properties of the individual MM1, MM2 and MM3 cores; (2) deriving their evolutionary stages; (3) using these results to improve our view of the evolutionary sequence of massive cores. The region was observed in the CS, C34S, H2CO, HCO+, H13CO+, and N2H+ lines at mm wavelengths with the IRAM 30m and Mopra telescopes. We use 1D and 2D modeling of the dust continuum to derive the density and temperature distributions, which are then used in the RATRAN code to model the lines and constrain the abundances of the observed species. All the lines were detected in MM1 and MM2. MM3 shows weaker emission, or even is undetected in HCO+ and all isotopic species. MM2 is driving a newly discovered CO outflow and hosts a mid-IR-quiet massive protostar. The abundance of CS is significantly larger in MM1 than in MM2, but smaller than in a reference massive protostar such as AFGL2591. In contrast the N2H+ abundance decreases from MM2 to MM1, and is larger than in AFGL2591. Both MM1 and MM2 host an early phase massive protostar, but MM2 (and mid-IR-quiet sources in general) is younger and more dominated by the host protostar than MM1 (mid-IR-bright). The MM3 core is probably in a pre-stellar phase. We find that the N2H+/C34S ratio varies systematically with age in the massive protostars for which the data are available. It can be used to identify young massive protostars., Comment: 19 pages, 17 figures, accepted by A&A the 3 June 2008

We report on a multi-wavelength (IR to cm) and multi-resolution (1 mas to 20 arcsec) exploration of high-mass star formation regions in the Galactic plane, at longitudes observable from the Southern Hemisphere. Our source sample was originally identified through methanol masers in the Galactic plane, which exclusively trace high-mass star-forming regions. (Sub)millimetre continuum and molecular line observations were carried out with SEST/SIMBA, JCMT/SCUBA and ATNF/Mopra mm-wave telescopes and have allowed us to identify massive ($>20$ M$_{\odot}$) and luminous ($>10^3$ L$_{\odot}$) clumps in each star-forming region. We have also constrained the SED with additional archival IR data, the physical conditions ($T_{dust}$, $L$, $M$) and the chemical composition of each massive clump. Several types of objects were characterised based on the $L_{submm}/L_{bol}$ ratio, the dust temperature and the molecular line properties, ranging from class 0-like YSO clusters ($L_{sub}/L_{bol}\sim1%$, T=30 K) to hot molecular clumps ($L_{sub}/L_{bol}\sim0.1%$, $T=40-200$ K). Preliminary high-angular resolution observations for a subset of the sample with the ATNF/ATCA at 3 mm, the VLA at 15, 22 and 43 GHz and Gemini in MIR have revealed that several (proto)stellar objects are embedded in the massive clumps: massive protostars, hot cores and hyper-compact HII regions. We have thus identified protoclusters of massive YSOs, which are the precursors of the OB associations. This sample of Southern Hemisphere star-forming regions will be extremely valuable for the scientific preparation of the ALMA and HSO observations., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, conference proceedings

This paper is aimed at providing new insight into the nature and origin of the molecular complex situated near the line of sight toward Holmberg IX in the M81 group of galaxies. The first high resolution CO maps of the complex as well as single dish 13CO(1-0), 12CO(3-2) and millimeter continuum observations and the results of a survey of 12CO in the region are presented. These data together with the available HI, optical and X-ray observations are analyzed to study the properties and environment of the complex. We confirm there is no unobscured massive star formation inside the complex and from the millimeter constraint on the extinction it must have a low star formation rate or be forming only low mass stars. According to the CO line ratios the abundances and physical conditions could be similar to that of cold gas in spirals. We find from its dynamics (no rotation) and its mass (2--6 million solar masses) that it resembles a massive GMC. Also, re-inspecting N-body simulations of the M81 group and the HI data we find that it might be located inside the extreme outer disk of M81 and be cospatial with the HI feature known as Concentration I. The negative result of the CO survey suggests that the complex is unique in this region and calls for a peculiar local formation process. We find that the distribution of the CO emission in the data cube is asymmetrical in a way similar to a cometary object. The optical observations of the nearby supershell MH9/10 suggest the existence of an outflow toward the complex. We consider the possibility that the molecular complex is related to this hypothetical outflow., Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

We have observed with the 30-m IRAM telescope, the CSO telescope and the ISOsatellite (Infrared Space Observatory) the rotational lines of CO at millimeter, submillimeter and far infrared wavelengths in the direction of C-rich stellar objects at different stages of evolution : CRL 2688 (a very young Proto-Planetary Nebula), CRL 618 (a Proto-Planetary Nebula), and NGC 7027 (a young Planetary Nebula). Several changes in the longwave emission of CO and other molecules are discussed here in relation with the degree of evolution of the objects. In the early stages, represented by CRL 2688, the longwave emission is dominated by CO lines. In the intermediate stage, CRL 618, very fast outflows are present which, together with the strong UV field from the central star, dissociate CO. The released atomic oxygen is seen via its atomic lines, and allows the formation of new O-bearing species, such as water and OH. The abundance of HNC is enhanced with respect to HCN as a result of the chemical processes occurring in the photo-dissociation region (PDR). At this stage, CO lines and [OI] lines are the dominant coolants, while the cooling effect of [CII] is rising. At the Planetary Nebula stage, NGC 7027, large parts of the old CO AGB material have been reprocessed. The spectrum is then dominated by atomic and ionic lines. New species such as CH+ appear. Water has probably been reprocessed in OH., Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, accepted in ApJ

We have investigated the influence of several line overlaps between 28SiO, 29SiO and 30SiO on maser emission from the envelopes of late-type stars using the Large Velocity Gradient radiative transfer formalism modified to account for overlaps. Our model includes: (i) 40 rotational levels for each of the v=0 to 4 vibrational states and each isotopic species; (ii) collisions with molecular and atomic hydrogen; and (iii) radiative pumping by a shell of dust grains surrounding the SiO masing layers. We have shown that several line overlaps may play a role on the excitation of the 28SiO v=3, J=1-0 maser, and on the anomalously weak v=3, J=2-1 emission. We suggest that 28SiO maser emission in the v=4, J=5-4 line, the only one observed in this vibrational level, may also result from line overlaps. For 29SiO, infrared line overlaps successfully explain observed maser emission in the v=0, J=5-4 and v=1, 2, J=6-5 lines. 30SiO, v=0, J=2-1, and v=0, J=4-3 maser emissions could also result from line overlaps, and we find that several overlaps could explain the newly discovered maser line 30SiO v=1, J=1-0. Finally, we make some predictions for new 28SiO, 29SiO and 30SiO maser lines., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

We present ISO LWS observations of the proto-planetary nebula CRL 618, a star evolving very fast to the planetary nebula stage. In addition to the lines of 12CO, 13CO, HCN and HNC, we report on the detection of H2O and OH emission together with the fine structure lines of [OI] at 63 and 145 um. The abundance of the latter three species relative to 12CO are 4 10^{-2}, 8 10^{-4} and 4.5 (approximate value) in the regions where they are produced. We suggest that O-bearing species other than CO are produced in the innermost region of the circumstellar envelope. The UV photons from the central star photodissociate most of the molecular species produced in the AGB phase and allow a chemistry dominated by standard ion-neutral reactions. Not only allow these reactions the formation of O-bearing species, but they also modify the abundances of C-rich molecules like HCN and HNC for which we found an abundance ratio of roughly 1, much lower than in AGB stars. The molecular abundances in the different regions of the circumstellar envelope have been derived from radiative transfer models and our knowledge of its physical structure., Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, accepted in Astrophys. Journal Letters

We present a complete study of the H2 infrared emission, including the pure rotational lines, of the proto Planetary Nebulae CRL 618 with the ISO SWS. A large number of lines are detected. The analysis of our observations shows: (i) an OTP ratio very different from the classical value of 3, probably around 1.76-1.87; (ii) a stratification of the emitting region, and more precisely different regions of emission, plausibly located in the lobes, in an intermediate zone, and close to the torus; (iii) different excitation mechanisms, collisions and fluorescence., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, proceeding of the "H2 in Space" conference, Paris, September 1999

We have observed with the IRAM interferometer at two different epochs and simultaneously the two transitions v=0, J=2-1 and v=1, J=2-1 of 29SiO and 28SiO in Orion IRc2. We have made the first maps of 29SiO v=0, J=2-1 emission from Orion. These maps and properties of the 29SiO spectra attest to maser emission. Our 28SiO maps show the stable ring of maser spots observed in previous works. Combining our own data with published works we derive that the relative motion between the two ridges of the 28SiO emission ring is less than about 0.7 AU/yr over a period of 7 years. On the other hand, the weak high velocity maser features observed around 30 km/s seem to move with respect to the stable ring of 28SiO main emission. Our relative 29SiO (v=0) and 28SiO (v=1) spot maps show that most 29SiO and 28SiO emission features are closely related but have not the same spatial extent. We conclude that these masers are not excited in the same gas layers in agreement with pumping models which predict that various v state masers peak in different spatial regions. In addition, our maps of v=0 and v=1 emission suggest that local line overlaps due to turbulence and high gas temperature do not play a dominant role in the excitation of 28SiO and 29SiO, although excitation effects resulting from the overlap of Doppler-shifted ro-vibrational lines may still be significant., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, accepted in A&A Main Journal

We have undertaken toward 30 Mira or semi-regular variables and one OH/IR object highly sensitive observations of the v=1, J=2-1 and 3-2 transitions of SiO simultaneously with observations of the J=1-0 transition of CO during three observing sessions in the period 1995 to 1996. As in our previous observations of 1994, we observe that for several stars the SiO profiles exhibit unusually broad wings which sometimes exceed the terminal velocity of the expanding circumstellar envelope traced by the thermal CO emission. We have discovered a clear dependence of the SiO wing emission on the optical phase. These wings are probably due to peculiar gas motions and varying physical conditions in relation with the stellar pulsation. However, we cannot exclude other mechanisms contributing to the observed wings. In particular, SiO turbulent motions for the semi-regular variables or the asymmetric mass loss mechanism may play a role. We conclude that the SiO wing emission is due to masing processes and that this emission very likely arises from the inner part of the circumstellar envelope., Comment: 11 pages, 7 separated figures (ps.files), accepted in Astron. and Astrophys