G0.253 + 0.016: A molecular cloud progenitor of an Arches-like cluster

Young massive clusters (YMCs) with stellar masses of 104–105M and core stellar densities of 104–105 stars per cubic pc are thought to be the “missing link” between open clusters and extreme extragalactic super star clusters and globular clusters. As such, studying the initial conditions of YMCs offe...

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Main Authors: Longmore, S., Rathborne, J., Bastian, N., Alves, J., Ascenso, J., Bally, J., Testi, L., Longmore, A., Battersby, C., Bressert, E., Purcell, C., Walsh, Andrew, Jackson, J., Foster, J., Molinari, S., Meingast, S., Amorim, A., Lima, J., Marques, R., Moitinho, A., Pinhao, J., Rebordao, J., Santos, F.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Institute of Physics Publishing 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/746/2/117/pdf/0004-637X_746_2_117.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/47554
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author Longmore, S.
Rathborne, J.
Bastian, N.
Alves, J.
Ascenso, J.
Bally, J.
Testi, L.
Longmore, A.
Battersby, C.
Bressert, E.
Purcell, C.
Walsh, Andrew
Jackson, J.
Foster, J.
Molinari, S.
Meingast, S.
Amorim, A.
Lima, J.
Marques, R.
Moitinho, A.
Pinhao, J.
Rebordao, J.
Santos, F.
author_facet Longmore, S.
Rathborne, J.
Bastian, N.
Alves, J.
Ascenso, J.
Bally, J.
Testi, L.
Longmore, A.
Battersby, C.
Bressert, E.
Purcell, C.
Walsh, Andrew
Jackson, J.
Foster, J.
Molinari, S.
Meingast, S.
Amorim, A.
Lima, J.
Marques, R.
Moitinho, A.
Pinhao, J.
Rebordao, J.
Santos, F.
author_sort Longmore, S.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Young massive clusters (YMCs) with stellar masses of 104–105M and core stellar densities of 104–105 stars per cubic pc are thought to be the “missing link” between open clusters and extreme extragalactic super star clusters and globular clusters. As such, studying the initial conditions of YMCs offers an opportunity to test cluster formation models across the full clustermass range. G0.253 + 0.016 is an excellent candidateYMCprogenitor.We make use of existing multi-wavelength data including recently available far-IR continuum (Herschel/Herschel Infrared Galactic Plane Survey) and mm spectral line (H2O Southern Galactic Plane Survey and Millimetre Astronomy Legacy Team90 GHz Survey) data and present new, deep, multiple-filter, near-IR (Very Large Telescope/NACO) observations to study G0.253 + 0.016. These data show that G0.253 + 0.016 is a high-mass (1.3 × 105M), low-temperature (Tdust ~ 20 K), high-volume, and column density (n ~ 8 × 104 cm-3; NH2~ 4 × 1023 cm-2) molecular clump which is close to virial equilibrium (Mdust ~ Mvirial) so is likely to be gravitationally bound. It is almost devoid of star formation and, thus, has exactly the properties expected for the initial conditions of a clump that may form an Arches-like massive cluster. We compare the properties of G0.253 + 0.016 to typical Galactic cluster-forming molecular clumps and find it is extreme, and possibly unique in the Galaxy. This uniqueness makes detailed studies of G0.253 + 0.016 extremely important for testing massive cluster formation models.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T09:34:52Z
format Journal Article
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T09:34:52Z
publishDate 2012
publisher Institute of Physics Publishing
recordtype eprints
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-475542017-02-28T01:37:37Z G0.253 + 0.016: A molecular cloud progenitor of an Arches-like cluster Longmore, S. Rathborne, J. Bastian, N. Alves, J. Ascenso, J. Bally, J. Testi, L. Longmore, A. Battersby, C. Bressert, E. Purcell, C. Walsh, Andrew Jackson, J. Foster, J. Molinari, S. Meingast, S. Amorim, A. Lima, J. Marques, R. Moitinho, A. Pinhao, J. Rebordao, J. Santos, F. Galaxy: center open clusters and associations: general stars: protostars stars: massive - stars: formation evolution Young massive clusters (YMCs) with stellar masses of 104–105M and core stellar densities of 104–105 stars per cubic pc are thought to be the “missing link” between open clusters and extreme extragalactic super star clusters and globular clusters. As such, studying the initial conditions of YMCs offers an opportunity to test cluster formation models across the full clustermass range. G0.253 + 0.016 is an excellent candidateYMCprogenitor.We make use of existing multi-wavelength data including recently available far-IR continuum (Herschel/Herschel Infrared Galactic Plane Survey) and mm spectral line (H2O Southern Galactic Plane Survey and Millimetre Astronomy Legacy Team90 GHz Survey) data and present new, deep, multiple-filter, near-IR (Very Large Telescope/NACO) observations to study G0.253 + 0.016. These data show that G0.253 + 0.016 is a high-mass (1.3 × 105M), low-temperature (Tdust ~ 20 K), high-volume, and column density (n ~ 8 × 104 cm-3; NH2~ 4 × 1023 cm-2) molecular clump which is close to virial equilibrium (Mdust ~ Mvirial) so is likely to be gravitationally bound. It is almost devoid of star formation and, thus, has exactly the properties expected for the initial conditions of a clump that may form an Arches-like massive cluster. We compare the properties of G0.253 + 0.016 to typical Galactic cluster-forming molecular clumps and find it is extreme, and possibly unique in the Galaxy. This uniqueness makes detailed studies of G0.253 + 0.016 extremely important for testing massive cluster formation models. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/47554 http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/746/2/117/pdf/0004-637X_746_2_117.pdf Institute of Physics Publishing restricted
spellingShingle Galaxy: center
open clusters and associations: general
stars: protostars
stars: massive -
stars: formation
evolution
Longmore, S.
Rathborne, J.
Bastian, N.
Alves, J.
Ascenso, J.
Bally, J.
Testi, L.
Longmore, A.
Battersby, C.
Bressert, E.
Purcell, C.
Walsh, Andrew
Jackson, J.
Foster, J.
Molinari, S.
Meingast, S.
Amorim, A.
Lima, J.
Marques, R.
Moitinho, A.
Pinhao, J.
Rebordao, J.
Santos, F.
G0.253 + 0.016: A molecular cloud progenitor of an Arches-like cluster
title G0.253 + 0.016: A molecular cloud progenitor of an Arches-like cluster
title_full G0.253 + 0.016: A molecular cloud progenitor of an Arches-like cluster
title_fullStr G0.253 + 0.016: A molecular cloud progenitor of an Arches-like cluster
title_full_unstemmed G0.253 + 0.016: A molecular cloud progenitor of an Arches-like cluster
title_short G0.253 + 0.016: A molecular cloud progenitor of an Arches-like cluster
title_sort g0.253 + 0.016: a molecular cloud progenitor of an arches-like cluster
topic Galaxy: center
open clusters and associations: general
stars: protostars
stars: massive -
stars: formation
evolution
url http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/746/2/117/pdf/0004-637X_746_2_117.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/47554