Context. Feedback by massive stars shapes the interstellar medium and is thought to influence subsequent star formation. Details of this process are under debate. Aims. We exploited observational constraints on stars, gas and nucleosynthesis ashes for the closest region of recent massive-star formation, Scorpius-Centaurus OB2, and combined them with 3D hydrodynamical simulations, in order to address physics and history for the case of the Scorpius-Centaurus superbubble. Methods. We used published cold gas observations through PLANCK survey data processing, HERSCHEL and APEX, continuum and molecular line observations. We analysed the Galactic All Sky Survey (GASS) to investigate shell structures in atomic hydrogen, and used HIPPARCOS and Gaia data in combination with interstellar absorption against stars to obtain new constraints for the distance to the Hi features. Hot gas is traced in soft X-rays via the ROSAT all sky survey. Nucleosynthesis ejecta from massive stars were traced with new INTEGRAL spectrometer observations via 26 Al radioactivity. We also performed 3D hydrodynamical simulations for the Sco-Cen superbubble. Results. Soft X-rays and a now more significant detection of 26 Al confirm recent (≈ 1 Myr ago) input of mass, energy and nucleosynthesis ejecta, likely by a supernova in the Upper Scorpius (USco) subgroup. We confirm a large supershell around the entire OB association and perform a 3D hydrodynamics simulations with a conservative massive star population that reproduces the morphology of the superbubble. High resolution GASS observations of a nested supershell reveal that it is filamentary possibly related to the Vishniac clumping instability, but molecular gas (Lupus I) is only present where the shell coincides with the connecting line between the subgroups of the OB association, suggesting a connection to the cloud, probably an elongated sheet, out of which the OB association formed. Stars have formed sequentially in the subgroups of the OB association and currently form in Lupus I. To investigate the impact of massive star feedback on extended clouds, we simulate the interaction of a turbulent cloud with the hot, pressurised gas in a superbubble. The hot gas fills the tenuous regions of the cloud and compresses the denser parts. Stars formed in these dense clumps would have distinct spatial and kinematic distributions. Conclusions. The combined results from observations and simulations are consistent with a scenario where dense gas was initially distributed in a band elongated in the direction now occupied by the OB association. Superbubbles powered by massive stars would then repeatedly break out of the elongated parent cloud, surround and squash the denser parts of the gas sheet and thus induce more star formation. The expected spatial and kinematic distribution of stars is consistent with observations of Sco-Cen. The scenario might apply to many similar regions in the Galaxy and also to AGN-related superbubbles.

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Context. The star formation process in large clusters/associations can be strongly influenced by the feedback from high-mass stars. Whether the resulting net effect of the feedback is predominantly negative (cloud dispersal) or positive (triggering of star formation due to cloud compression) is still an open question. Aims. The Carina Nebula complex (CNC) represents one of the most massive star-forming regions in our Galaxy. We use our Herschel far-infrared observations to study the properties of the clouds over the entire area of the CNC (with a diameter of ≈3.2 • , which corresponds to ≈125 pc at a distance of 2.3 kpc). The good angular resolution (10 −36 ) of the Herschel maps corresponds to physical scales of 0.1-0.4 pc, and allows us to analyze the small-scale (i.e., clump-size) structures of the clouds. Methods. The full extent of the CNC was mapped with PACS and SPIRE in the 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm bands. We determined temperatures and column densities at each point in these maps by modeling the observed far-infrared spectral energy distributions. We also derived a map showing the strength of the UV radiation field. We investigated the relation between the cloud properties and the spatial distribution of the high-mass stars and computed total cloud masses for different density thresholds. Results. Our Herschel maps resolve for the first time the small-scale structure of the dense clouds over the entire spatial extent of the CNC. Several particularly interesting regions, including the prominent pillars south of η Car, are analyzed in detail. We compare the cloud masses derived from the Herschel data with previous mass estimates based on sub-mm and molecular line data. Our maps also reveal a peculiar wave-like pattern in the northern part of the Carina Nebula. Finally, we characterize two prominent cloud complexes at the periphery of our Herschel maps, which are probably molecular clouds in the Galactic background. Conclusions. We find that the density and temperature structure of the clouds in most parts of the CNC is dominated by the strong feedback from the numerous massive stars, and not by random turbulence. Comparing the cloud mass and the star formation rate derived for the CNC with other Galactic star-forming regions suggests that the CNC is forming stars in a particularly efficient way. We suggest this to be a consequence of triggered star formation by radiative cloud compression.

Context. The Carina Nebula represents one of the largest and most active star forming regions known in our Galaxy. It contains numerous very massive (M > ∼ 40 M ) stars that strongly affect the surrounding clouds by their ionizing radiation and stellar winds. Aims. Our recently obtained Herschel PACS and SPIRE far-infrared maps cover the full area (≈8.7 deg 2 ) of the Carina Nebula complex (CNC) and reveal the population of deeply embedded young stellar objects (YSOs), most of which are not yet visible in the mid-or near-infrared. Methods. We study the properties of the 642 objects that are independently detected as point-like sources in at least two of the five Herschel bands. For those objects that can be identified with apparently single Spitzer counterparts, we use radiative transfer models to derive information about the basic stellar and circumstellar parameters. Results. We find that about 75% of the Herschel-detected YSOs are Class 0 protostars. The luminosities of the Herschel-detected YSOs with SED fits are restricted to values of ≤5400 L , their masses (estimated from the radiative transfer modeling) range from ≈1 M to ≈10 M . Taking the observational limits into account and extrapolating the observed number of Herschel-detected protostars over the stellar initial mass function suggest that the star formation rate of the CNC is ∼0.017 M /year. The spatial distribution of the Herschel YSO candidates is highly inhomogeneous and does not follow the distribution of cloud mass. Rather, most Herschel YSO candidates are found at the irradiated edges of clouds and pillars. The far-infrared fluxes of the famous object η Car are about a factor of two lower than expected from observations with the Infrared Space Observatory obtained 15 years ago; this difference may be a consequence of dynamical changes in the circumstellar dust in the Homunculus Nebula around η Car. Conclusions. The currently ongoing star formation process forms only low-mass and intermediate-mass stars, but no massive (M > ∼ 20 M ) stars. The characteristic spatial configuration of the YSOs provides support to the picture that the formation of this latest stellar generation is triggered by the advancing ionization fronts.

Context. The Gum 31 bubble, which contains the stellar cluster NGC 3324, is a poorly studied young region close to the Carina Nebula. Aims. We are aiming to characterise the young stellar and protostellar population in and around Gum 31 and to investigate the starformation process in this region. Methods. We identified candidate young stellar objects from Spitzer, WISE, and Herschel data. Combining these, we analysed the spectral energy distributions of the candidate young stellar objects. With density and temperature maps obtained from Herschel data and comparisons to a collect-and-collapse scenario for the region we are able to further constrain the characteristics of the region as a whole. Results. We find 661 candidate young stellar objects from WISE data; 91 protostar candidates are detected through Herschel observations in a 1.0• × 1.1• area. Most of these objects are found in small clusters or are well aligned with the H II bubble. We also identify the sources of Herbig-Haro jets. The infrared morphology of the region suggests that it is part of the larger Carina Nebula complex. Conclusions. The location of the candidate young stellar objects on the rim of the H II bubble is suggestive of their being triggered according to a collect-and-collapse scenario, which agrees well with the observed parameters of the region. Some candidate young stellar objects are found in the heads of pillars, which indicates radiative triggering of star formation. All in all, we find evidence that in the region different mechanisms of triggered star formation are at work. Correcting the number of candidate young stellar objects for contamination, we find ∼600 young stellar objects in Gum 31 above our completeness limit of about 1 M . Extrapolating the initial mass function down to 0.1 M , we estimate a total population of ∼5000 young stars for the region.

Aims. Jets are excellent signposts for very young embedded protostars, so we want to identify jet-driving protostars as a tracer of the currently forming generation of stars in the Carina Nebula, which is one of the most massive galactic star-forming regions and which is characterised by particularly high levels of massive-star feedback on the surrounding clouds. Methods. We used archive data to construct large ( > ∼ 2 • × 2 • ) Spitzer IRAC mosaics of the Carina Nebula and performed a spatially complete search for objects with excesses in the 4.5 μm band, typical of shock-excited molecular hydrogen emission. We also identified the mid-infrared point sources that are the likely drivers of previously discovered Herbig-Haro jets and molecular hydrogen emission line objects. We combined the Spitzer photometry with our recent Herschel far-infrared data to construct the spectral energy distributions, and used the Robitaille radiative-transfer modelling tool to infer the properties of the objects. Results. The radiative-transfer modelling suggests that the jet sources are protostars with masses between ∼1 M and ∼10 M that are surrounded by circumstellar disks and embedded in circumstellar envelopes. Conclusions. The estimated protostar masses ≤10 M suggest that the current star-formation activity in the Carina Nebula is restricted to low-and intermediate-mass stars. More optical than infrared jets can be observed, indicating that star formation predominantly takes place close to the surfaces of clouds.

Context. The Lupus I cloud is found between the Upper Scorpius (USco) and the Upper Centaurus-Lupus (UCL) subgroups of the Scorpius-Centaurus OB association, where the expanding USco H I shell appears to interact with a bubble currently driven by the winds of the remaining B-stars of UCL. Aims. We want to study how collisions of large-scale interstellar gas flows form and influence new dense clouds in the ISM. Methods. We performed LABOCA continuum sub-mm observations of Lupus I that provide for the first time a direct view of the densest, coldest cloud clumps and cores at high angular resolution. We complemented these data with Herschel and Planck data from which we constructed column density and temperature maps. From the Herschel and LABOCA column density maps we calculated probability density functions (PDFs) to characterize the density structure of the cloud. Results. The northern part of Lupus I is found to have, on average, lower densities, higher temperatures, and no active star formation. The center-south part harbors dozens of pre-stellar cores where density and temperature reach their maximum and minimum, respectively. Our analysis of the column density PDFs from the Herschel data show double-peak profiles for all parts of the cloud, which we attribute to an external compression. In those parts with active star formation, the PDF shows a power-law tail at high densities. The PDFs we calculated from our LABOCA data trace the denser parts of the cloud showing one peak and a power-law tail. With LABOCA we find 15 cores with masses between 0.07 and 1.71 M and a total mass of ≈8 M . The total gas and dust mass of the cloud is ≈164 M and hence ∼5% of the mass is in cores. From the Herschel and Planck data we find a total mass of ≈174 M and ≈171 M , respectively. Conclusions. The position, orientation, and elongated shape of Lupus I, the double-peak PDFs and the population of pre-stellar and protostellar cores could be explained by the large-scale compression from the advancing USco H I shell and the UCL wind bubble.

Context. Filaments represent a key structure during the early stages of the star formation process. Simulations show that filamentary structures commonly formed before and during the formation of cores. Aims. The Serpens core is an ideal laboratory for testing the state of the art of simulations of turbulent giant molecular clouds. Methods. We used Herschel observations of the Serpens core to compute temperature and column density maps of the region. We selected the early stages of a recent simulation of star-formation, before stellar feedback was initiated, with similar total mass and physical size as the Serpens core. We also derived temperature and column density maps from the simulations. The observed distribution of column densities of the filaments was analyzed, first including and then masking the cores. The same analysis was performed on the simulations as well. Results. A radial network of filaments was detected in the Serpens core. The analyzed simulation shows a striking morphological resemblance to the observed structures. The column density distribution of simulated filaments without cores shows only a log-normal distribution, while the observed filaments show a power-law tail. The power-law tail becomes evident in the simulation if the focus is only the column density distribution of the cores. In contrast, the observed cores show a flat distribution. Conclusions. Even though the simulated and observed filaments are subjectively similar-looking, we find that they behave in very different ways. The simulated filaments are turbulence-dominated regions; the observed filaments are instead self-gravitating structures that will probably fragment into cores.