2006A&A...454L..91W

We present a submm study of the massive hot core G327.3-0.6 that constrains its physical parameters and environment. The APEX telescope was used to image CO and N₂H⁺ emission, to observe lines from other molecules toward a hot and a cold molecular core, and to measure the continuum flux density of the hot core. In the C¹⁸O J=3-2 line, two clumps were found, one associated with the Hii region G327.3-0.5 and the other associated with the hot core. An additional cold clump is found 30" (0.4pc) northeast of the hot core in bright N₂H⁺ emission. From the the continuum data, we calculate a mass of 420M_☉ and a size of 0.1pc for the hot core. A new, more accurate position of the hot core is reported, which allows the association of the core with a bright mid-infrared source. The luminosity of the hot core is estimated to be between 5 and 15x10⁴L_☉. This study revealed several different evolutionary stages of massive star formation in the G327.3-0.6 region.