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Paper: Ionized Accretion Flows in Massive Star Formation
Volume: 387, Massive Star Formation: Observations Confront Theory
Page: 224
Authors: Keto, E.; Klaassen, P.D.
Abstract: Previous observations show that the hypercompact HII region W51e2 is surrounded by a massive molecular accretion flow associated with the formation of the young star or several stars now responsible for the ionization of the HII region. We present an analysis of radio recombination line observa- tions of the ionized gas within the W51e2 HII region itself and of the CO line from the surrounding molecular gas. We find evidence for rotation and infall of ionized gas within the HII region consistent with accretion through the HII region, and we find evidence for an associated molecular bipolar outflow. The observed structure of the ionized and molecular accretion flows in and around W51e2 is similar to those associated with several other small HII regions. The similarities suggest an evolutionary phase in high-mass star formation in which a newly formed massive star or group of several stars first begins to ionize its own accretion flow.
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