Unravelling the Mysteries of Star Creation in the Whirlpool Galaxy

Unravelling the Mysteries: The Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) recently led an international research team that mapped some regions of dense and cold gas to better understand the birthplace of stars in our galaxy. These observations were made possible by the NOEMA observatory and provided insights into varying conditions that are conducive to star formation.

The data obtained through this groundbreaking measurement type allowed researchers to see star formation at an early stage in the Milky Way, which can help improve models of star formation and explain the evolution of galaxies throughout the history of the universe. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of how stars form and evolve, as well as the larger processes that shape our universe.

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The origin of stars may seem paradoxical, as it begins in the coldest regions of the universe – dense clouds of gas and dust that traverse entire galaxies. To study the early stages of star formation, researchers first need to locate these areas. One approach is to measure the radiation emitted by specific molecules that are abundant in these extremely cold and dense regions.

This method was used in a recent study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, where the lead author emphasized the importance of understanding star formation to gain insights into the evolution of galaxies and the universe as a whole.

Unravelling the Mysteries Details

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Molecules As Chemical Probes

Astronomers commonly use molecules such as HCN (hydrogen cyanide) and N2H+ (diazenylium) as chemical tools to study the formation of massive stars in the Milky Way.

Colliding with numerous hydrogen molecules, which can be difficult to find themselves, causes other molecules to start rotating. Once their rotational speed decreases, they release radiation with wavelengths of about 3mm for those molecules mentioned above.

Star Creation in the Whirlpool Galaxy

The measurements are part of a comprehensive observational program called SWAN (Surveying the Whirlpool at Arcsecond with NOEMA), which is co-led by Schinnerer and Frank Bigiel from the University of Bonn. The group aims to use the Northern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA), a radio interferometer in the French Alps, to study the distribution of various molecules within the inner 20,000 light-years of the Whirlpool Galaxy (Messier 51), including hydrogen cyanide and diazenylium. In addition to the 214 hours of data from this project, approximately 70 hours from other observation campaigns with the 30-meter single-dish telescope in southern Spain complement the dataset.

Jerome Pety from the Institute de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM), the group operating the telescopes, mentions that processing and refining the data from radio interferometers is significantly more complex than telescope images, and it took about another year to complete. Interferometric telescopes such as NOEMA comprise multiple individual antennas, collectively achieving detail resolution comparable to a telescope with a primary reflect diameter equivalent to the spacing between the individual telescopes.

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Gas properties depend on the environment

The study’s authors have managed to identify unique gas cloud signatures in various regions, including the center and the spiral arms.

• The radiation depth of hydrogen cyanide and diazenylium fluctuates as it moves through the spiral arms, providing consistent effects in measuring gas densities. However, astronomers have observed a significant variation in the galactic center of M51.
• In this location, the brightness of HCN emission will significantly increase compared to diazenylium.
•  It appears that there is a process in place that triggers hydrogen cyanide to produce additional light, a phenomenon not yet observed in diazenylium.
• “We believe that the active core of the Whirlpool Galaxy is responsible for this,” Schinnerer explains. This is where the gas rotates around the black hole in the shape of a spinning disk, surrounding the central massive black hole.
• The fuel accelerates to high speeds as it descends, becoming heated from friction and emitting intense radiation, which in turn leads to the release of HCN molecules.
• Therefore, in the nearby area of the Whirlpool Galaxy, diazenylium appears to be a more dependable density indicator than hydrogen cyanide. This is significant as hydrogen cyanide is commonly utilized to determine the gas mass, which will influence the formation of massive stars in the early universe.
• The findings suggest that the amount of available gas for star formation may be greater than initially estimated from the brightness of the hydrogen cyanide.

A Worthwhile Challenge

Therefore, in the substantial region of the Whirlpool Galaxy, diazenylium appears to be a more dependable density probe than hydrogen cyanide. However, it emits an average of five times fainter for the same fuel density, leading to a considerable increase in observation time. The necessary additional sensitivity is achieved through a significantly longer observation duration. Scientists are eager to explore the early stages in galaxies beyond the Milky Way, despite the greater challenge of determining the precise structure and location of spiral arms and clouds compare to those in our own galaxy.

Stuber notes that while we can gather a lot of information from the distinctive statement software with the Whirlpool Galaxy, it is essentially a trial project. The Whirlpool Galaxy emits a strong light in response to these chemical probes. Telescopes and devices for other galaxies must be much more advance. There are plans for a large array that is currently in development, with the hope that it will be available in about ten years. In the meantime, the Whirlpool Galaxy provides a valuable opportunity to study star formation on a galactic level.

List of MPIA researchers involved

The researchers are Jérôme Pety (IRAM and Observatoire de Paris/PSL, France [PSL]), Frank Bigiel (University of Bonn, Germany [UB]), Antonio Usero (Observatorio Astronómica Nacional/IGN, Madrid, Spain [OAN]), Ivana Bešlić (PSL), Miguel Querejeta (OAN), J. María Jiménez-Donaire (OAN and Observatorio de Yebes/IGN, Guadalajara, Spain), Adam Leroy (Ohio State University, Columbus, USA), Jakob den Brok (Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, USA), Lukas Neumann (UB), Cosima Eibensteiner (UB), Yu-Hsuan Teng (University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA), Ashley Barnes (European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany [ESO]), Mélanie Chevance (Centre for Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Germany [ZAH] and Cosmic Origins of Life Research DAO), Dario Colombo (UB), Daniel A. Dale (University of Wyoming, Laramie, USA), Simon C.O. Glover (ZAH), Daizhong Liu (Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching, Germany), and Hsi-An Pan (Tamkang University, Taiwan).

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