Scholarlink

<p>Stellar multiple systems play a pivotal role in cluster dynamics and stellar evolution, producing intense astronomical phenomena like X-ray binaries, gamma-ray bursts, type Ia supernova and stellar mergers, which are prime sources of gravitational waves. However, their origin remains poorly understood. Here we report the discovery of a septuple protostellar system embedded in a Keplerian disk within the high-mass star-forming region NGC 6334IN, with close separations of 181–461 au. A stability analysis reveals that the disk surrounding the septuple system is dynamically unstable, indicating that the septuple system formed through disk fragmentation. Previous studies have typically found only two or three members forming through disk fragmentation in both low- and high-mass star-forming regions. Our findings provide compelling observational evidence that the fragmentation of a gravitationally unstable disk is a viable mechanism for the formation of extreme high-order multiplicity, confirming what was previously only a theoretical concept. The results shed new light on the formation of extreme high-order multiplicity in cluster environments.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Detection of a septuple stellar system in formation via disk fragmentation

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月8日

查看全文
  • Shanghuo Li,
  • Henrik Beuther,
  • André Oliva,
  • Vardan G. Elbakyan,
  • Stella S. R. Offner,
  • Rolf Kuiper,
  • Keping Qiu,
  • Xing Lu,
  • Patricio Sanhueza,
  • Huei-Ru Vivien Chen,
  • Qizhou Zhang,
  • Fernando A. Olguin,
  • Chang Won Lee,
  • Ralph E. Pudritz,
  • Shuo Kong,
  • Rajika L. Kuruwita,
  • Qiuyi Luo,
  • Junhao Liu

摘要

Stellar multiple systems play a pivotal role in cluster dynamics and stellar evolution, producing intense astronomical phenomena like X-ray binaries, gamma-ray bursts, type Ia supernova and stellar mergers, which are prime sources of gravitational waves. However, their origin remains poorly understood. Here we report the discovery of a septuple protostellar system embedded in a Keplerian disk within the high-mass star-forming region NGC 6334IN, with close separations of 181–461 au. A stability analysis reveals that the disk surrounding the septuple system is dynamically unstable, indicating that the septuple system formed through disk fragmentation. Previous studies have typically found only two or three members forming through disk fragmentation in both low- and high-mass star-forming regions. Our findings provide compelling observational evidence that the fragmentation of a gravitationally unstable disk is a viable mechanism for the formation of extreme high-order multiplicity, confirming what was previously only a theoretical concept. The results shed new light on the formation of extreme high-order multiplicity in cluster environments.