Properties of Contracting Massive Protostellar Cores

Abstract

Studies of the structure and kinematics of cores associated with the regions of massive star and star cluster formation are necessary for constructing scenario for the evolution of these objects. We analyzed spectral maps of the massive cores of G012.418+00.506, G326.472+00.888, G328.567–00.535, G335.586–00.289 and G343.127–00.063 from the MALT90 survey in the HCO⁺(1–0) and H¹³CO⁺(1–0) lines. The cores are at different stages of evolution and have signs of contraction. By fitting spectral maps calculated within the framework of a spherically symmetric model into the observed ones, the parameters of the radial profiles of density, turbulent velocity and contraction velocity were calculated. The power-law index of the density decay with distance from the center varies in the range of \( \sim {\kern 1pt} 1.5{\kern 1pt} - {\kern 1pt} 2.8\). The lowest value is obtained for the core of G326.472+00.888 without internal sources. The contraction velocity in all cores depends weakly on the distance to the center, decreasing with an index of ~0.1, which differs from the free-fall mode. There are indications of rotation for the cores of G328.567–00.535 and G335.586–00.289. Analysis of ¹³CO(2–1) data from the SEDIGISM survey for the regions G012.418+00.506, G335.586–00.289, and G343.127–00.063 revealed motions from the surrounding gas toward the cores. The results obtained indicate that the massive cores under consideration interact with their environment and are apparently in a state of global co-llapse.