G351.77–0.51: ridge formation caught in the act

Abstract

The initial steps of star formation are now believed to be tightly linked to the dynamical evolution of interstellar filaments. Mass accretion from large scales in the form of sub-filaments seems to play a key role for the formation of massive filaments with A V > 100 mag, a criterion satisfied by ridges. In this contribution, we discuss the very close-by ridge G351.77–0.51, identified as the closest dense filament in the ATLASGAL survey of the inner Galactic plane. G351.77–0.51 is actively forming massive stars in at least two positions and other dust clumps have the potential to form intermediate to high-mass young stellar objects. It also exhibits a remarkable large-scale network of filamentary structures seen in extinction at 8 μ m which extend over the whole length of the ridge. The sub-filaments have the same velocity as the ridge. Their mass shows that mass-replenishment is probably still on-going in the source.