ALMA view of the Galactic super star cluster RCW 38 at 270 au resolution

Abstract

ABSTRACT We report millimeter/submillimeter continuum and molecular line observations of the Galactic super star cluster RCW 38, obtained from the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array with a minimum angular resolution of ${0{^{\prime \prime }_{.}}17}\times {0{^{\prime \prime }_{.}}15}$ (≃ 289 au × 255 au). The C18O image reveals many massive condensations embedded within filamentary structures extending along the northwest–southeast direction in the center of cluster. The condensations have sizes of 0.01–0.02 pc, H2 column densities of 1023–1024 cm−2, and H2 masses of 10–130 M⊙. In addition, the 233 GHz continuum image reveals two dense, small millimeter-sources with radii of 460 and 200 au (Source A and Source B). Source A is embedded within the most massive C18O condensation, whereas no counterpart is seen for Source B. The masses of Source A and Source B are estimated as 13 and 3 M⊙ at the optically thin limit, respectively. The C18O emission shows a velocity gradient of 2 km s−1 at the central 2000 au of Source A, which could be interpreted as a Keplerian rotation with a central mass of a few M⊙ or infall motion of gas. Further, the ALMA 12CO data reveal that Source A and Source B are associated with molecular outflows exhibiting maximum velocities of ∼30–70 km s−1. The outflows have short dynamical timescales of <1000 yr and high-mass outflow rates of ∼10−4–10−3 M⊙ yr−1. These observational signatures suggest an early evolutionary phase of the massive star formation in Source A and Source B.