Multi-scale analysis of the Monoceros OB 1 star-forming region
Authors: Bőgner R. , Montillaud J. , Vastel C. , Juvela M. , Tóth L. V. 
Published: January 2025

Context. Young massive clumps are relatively rare objects and are typically found at large distances. The G202.02+2.85 (hereafter, G202) massive clump was identified in the Monoceros OB 1 molecular complex at a distance of about 700 pc. It was found to be undergoing active star formation and located at the junction point between two colliding filaments.

Aims. We aim to further clarify the evolutionary stage of the clump and the nature of the collision and of six dense cores in the area; specifically, we investigate whether the clump is collapsing as a whole and/or whether it shows signs of shocks.

Methods. To this end, we examined the dense gas properties, notably through NH3 and N2H+ and their deuterated counterparts. We examined the evolutionary stages of the cores through deuterium fractionation values. We performed a mapping of the clump and deeper pointed molecular line observations towards the dense cores with the IRAM 30-m and Effelsberg 100-m telescopes in the 3-mm and centimetre ranges, respectively. The clump internal dynamics was examined using tracers of various gas densities (CO isotopologues, CS, ammonia, and diazenylium), along with a classical infall diagnosis with HCO+ and diazenylium. Furthermore, SiO and methanol were used to characterise the shock properties. The evolutionary stages of the dense cores were evaluated from the deuterium fractionation of ammonia and diazenylium.

Results. The clump seen in dust continuum emission was detected in all dense-gas molecular tracers, including deuterated ammonia and diazenylium, contrasting with the distributions in shock tracers SiO and CH3OH. These latter include both features compatible with protostellar outflows and a more diffuse emission in the clump, all with SiO line width corresponding to relatively low velocity shocks (≲10 km s−1). This could arise from multiple, blended outflows or be a signature of the filament collision. All the dense cores, except for the source 1446, were found to be in early evolutionary stages, the most massive one, the source 1450, being at most a Class 0 object. This is consistent with the idea that they originate in the same clump-compression event. They all present virial parameters indicating gravitational instability, while source 1450 and its surroundings show blue-shift asymmetry in HCO+ compatible with gravitational infall, suggesting that this star formation activity came out of the collision. We find that, in contrast to NH3 deuterium fractionation, the N2H+ deuterium fractionation values are likely to be correlated with the source evolutionary stage.

Conclusions. Our results provide additional evidence that the star-forming cores in the G202 clump originate in the clump compression due to filament collision or convergence. Based on its physical parameters, we find that the source 1454 in the northern clump of G202 may represent the physical state of the region before the collision of the two filaments that make up the junction region. Determining the origin of the collision will require the examination of the large-scale motion of the gas.