Talk abstract
Circumstellar discs in the Arches starburst cluster
Abstract
From theoretical and observational grounds it may be unexpected to find discs around massive stars in a starburst cluster environment. Theoretically, the intense UV radiation field might destroy discs as soon as the high-mass O stars switch on. Observationally, disc lifetimes are suggested to be shorter than 1 Myr in Herbig Be stars. We have detected a significant sample of 23 L-band excess sources in the Galactic centre Arches cluster at an age of 2.5 Myr. The L-band excess sources
with known proper motions are genuine members to the cluster.
The three sources with SINFONI spectra all display CO bandhead emission in the K-band spectrum, with indication of rotation in the line profiles.
In this contribution, I will show the evidence that these sources are optically thick circumstellar discs and argue that the host stars cover spectral types as early as B3. I will discuss the implications for disc survival in a starburst cluster environment in comparison to Herbig Be stars found in nearby star-forming regions.
This finding lends new support to the paradigm of high-mass star formation via disc accretion.
with known proper motions are genuine members to the cluster.
The three sources with SINFONI spectra all display CO bandhead emission in the K-band spectrum, with indication of rotation in the line profiles.
In this contribution, I will show the evidence that these sources are optically thick circumstellar discs and argue that the host stars cover spectral types as early as B3. I will discuss the implications for disc survival in a starburst cluster environment in comparison to Herbig Be stars found in nearby star-forming regions.
This finding lends new support to the paradigm of high-mass star formation via disc accretion.