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CAB Home » Radio astronomy » News » Publications - Molecular Gas Surrounding LBV Stars
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Molecular Gas Surrounding LBV Stars

Authors
Rizzo, Jose Ricardo; Alfonso, J.; Ortiz, E.

Abstract
Evolved massive stars inject important amounts of momentum and energy during their evolution. The densest phase (molecular) remains almost unstudied in many of these evolutionary stages. Here we report the first results of a survey carried out in the outskirts of several evolved massive stars --mainly LBVs--, using the 10m SMT radiotelescope at Mt. Graham, Arizona. The main goal of this survey was to identify dense, molecular gas associated with the stars. We identified tens of Msun of molecular gas linked to the stars. The minimum densities are in all cases well above 104 cm-3. These peculiar surroundings, dense and affected by strong UV fields and powerful winds, are worth observing in more complex molecular species, in order to shed light on the chemical and physical interplay between the evolved massive stars and their environments.

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