2009A&A...504..127F

We examine an Infrared Dark Cloud (IRDC) at high spatial resolution as a means to study rotation, outflow, and infall at the onset of massive star formation. The IRDC 18223-3 was observed at 1.1mm and 1.3mm with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and follow-up short spacing information was obtained with the IRAM 30m telescope. Additional data were taken at 3mm with the IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer (PdBI). Submillimeter Array observations combined with IRAM 30m data in ¹²CO(2-1) reveal the outflow orientation in the IRDC 18223-3 region, and PdBI 3mm observations confirm this orientation in other molecular species. The implication of the outflow's presence is that an accretion disk is feeding it, so using line data for high density tracers such as C¹⁸O, N₂H⁺, and CH₃OH, we looked for indications of a velocity gradient perpendicular to the outflow direction. Surprisingly, this gradient turns out to be most apparent in CH₃OH. The large size (28000 AU) of the flattened rotating object detected indicates that this velocity gradient cannot be due solely to a disk, but rather from inward spiraling gas within which a Keplerian disk likely exists. The rotational signatures can be modeled via rotationally infalling gas. From the outflow parameters, we derive properties of the source such as an outflow dynamical age of ∼37000years, outflow mass of ∼13M_☉, and outflow energy of ∼1.7x10⁴⁶erg. While the outflow mass and energy are clearly consistent with a high-mass star forming region, the outflow dynamical age indicates a slightly more evolved evolutionary stage than previous spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling indicates. The orientation of the molecular outflow associated with IRDC 18223-3 is in the northwest-southeast direction and velocity gradients orthogonal to the outflow reveal a large rotating structure likely harboring an accretion disk within. We also present a model of the observed methanol velocity gradient. The calculated outflow properties reveal that this is truly a massive star in the making. These data present evidence for one of the youngest known outflow/infall/disk systems in massive star formation. A tentative evolutionary picture for massive disks is discussed.