ATOMS: ALMA three-millimetre observations of massive star-forming regions – XIV. Properties of resolved ultra-compact H iiregions

Abstract

ABSTRACTHydrogen radio recombination lines (RRLs) are one of the major diagnostics of the physical properties of H ii regions. We use RRL H40α, He40α, and 3 mm continuum emission to investigate the properties of a large sample of resolved UC H ii regions identified in the ATOMS survey. In total, we identify 94 UC H ii regions from H40α emission. The basic parameters for these UC H ii regions, such as electron density, emission measure, electron temperature, ionic abundance ratio (n$_{\rm He^+}$/n$_{\rm H^+}$), and line width are derived. The median electron density and the median n$_{\rm He^+}$/n$_{\rm H^+}$ ratio of these UC H ii regions derived from RRLs are ∼9000 cm−3 and 0.11, respectively. Within UC H ii regions, the n$_{\rm He^+}$/n$_{\rm H^+}$ ratios derived from the intensity ratio of the He40α and H40α lines seems to be higher in the boundary region than in the centre. The H40α line width is mainly broadened by thermal motion and microturbulence. The electron temperature of these UC H ii regions has a median value of ∼6700 K, and its dependence on galactocentric distance is weak.