Parsec-scale X-ray flows in high-mass star-forming regions

L. K. Townsley, P. S. Broos, E. D. Feigelson, G. P. Garmire

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Chandra X-ray Observatory is providing remarkable new views of massive starforming regions, revealing all stages in the life cycle of high-mass stars and their effects on their surroundings. We present a Chandra tour of several high-mass star-forming regions, highlighting physical processes that characterize the life of a cluster of high-mass stars, from deeply-embedded cores too young to have established an HII region to superbubbles so large that they shape our views of galaxies. Along the way we see that X-ray observations reveal hundreds of stellar sources powering great HII region complexes, suffused by both hard and soft diffuse X-ray structures caused by fast O-star winds thermalized in wind-wind collisions or by termination shocks against the surrounding media. Finally, we examine the effects of the deaths of high-mass stars that remained close to their birthplaces, exploding as supernovae within the superbubbles that these clusters created. We present new X-ray results on W51 IRS2E and 30 Doradus and we introduce new data on Trumpler 14 in Carina and the W3 HII region complexes W3 Main and W3(OH).

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)297-302
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Volume1
Issue numberS227
DOIs
StatePublished - 2005

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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