Understanding the chemical evolution of young (high-mass) star-forming regions is a central topic in star formation research. Chemistry is employed as a unique tool 1) to investigate the underlying physical processes and 2) to characterize the evolution of the chemical composition. With these aims in mind, we observed a sample of 59 high-mass star-forming regions at different evolutionary stages varying from the early starless phase of infrared dark clouds to high-mass protostellar objects to hot molecular cores and, finally, ultra-compact Hii regions at 1 mm and 3 mm with the IRAM 30 m telescope. We determined their large-scale chemical abundances and found that the chemical composition evolves along with the evolutionary stages. On average, the molecular abundances increase with time. We modeled the chemical evolution, using a 1D physical model where density and temperature vary from stage to stage coupled with an advanced gas-grain chemical model and derived the best-fit χ 2 values of all relevant parameters. A satisfying overall agreement between observed and modeled column densities for most of the molecules was obtained. With the bestfit model we also derived a chemical age for each stage, which gives the timescales for the transformation between two consecutive stages. The best-fit chemical ages are ∼10 000 years for the IRDC stage, ∼60 000 years for the HMPO stage, ∼40 000 years for the HMC stage, and ∼10 000 years for the UCHii stage. Thus, the total chemical timescale for the entire evolutionary sequence of the high-mass star formation process is on the order of 10 5 years, which is consistent with theoretical estimates. Furthermore, based on the approach of a multiple-line survey of unresolved data, we were able to constrain an intuitive and reasonable physical and chemical model. The results of this study can be used as chemical templates for the different evolutionary stages in high-mass star formation.

Context. The past decade has witnessed a large number of Galactic plane surveys at angular resolutions below 20 . However, no comparable high-resolution survey exists at long radio wavelengths around 21 cm in line and continuum emission. Aims. We remedy this situation by studying the northern Galactic plane at ∼20 resolution in emission of atomic, molecular, and ionized gas. Methods. Employing the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in the C-array configuration and a large program, we observe the HI 21 cm line, four OH lines, nineteen Hnα radio recombination lines as well as the continuum emission from 1 to 2 GHz in full polarization over a large part of the first Galactic quadrant. Results. Covering Galactic longitudes from 14.5 to 67.4 deg and latitudes between ±1.25 deg, we image all of these lines and the continuum at ∼20 resolution. These data allow us to study the various components of the interstellar medium (ISM): from the atomic phase, traced by the HI line, to the molecular phase, observed by the OH transitions, to the ionized medium, revealed by the cm continuum and the Hnα radio recombination lines. Furthermore, the polarized continuum emission enables magnetic field studies. In this overview paper, we discuss the survey outline and present the first data release as well as early results from the different datasets. We now release the first half of the survey; the second half will follow later after the ongoing data processing has been completed. The data in fits format (continuum images and line data cubes) can be accessed through the project web-page. Conclusions. The HI/OH/Recombination line survey of the Milky Way (THOR) opens a new window to the different parts of the ISM. It enables detailed studies of molecular cloud formation, conversion of atomic to molecular gas, and feedback from Hii regions as well as the magnetic field in the Milky Way. It is highly complementary to other surveys of our Galaxy, and comparing the different datasets will allow us to address many open questions.

Context. There is a considerable deficiency in the number of known supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Galaxy compared to that expected. This deficiency is thought to be caused by a lack of sensitive radio continuum data. Searches for extended low-surface brightness radio sources may find new Galactic SNRs, but confusion with the much larger population of H II regions makes identifying such features challenging. SNRs can, however, be separated from H II regions using their significantly lower mid-infrared (MIR) to radio continuum intensity ratios. Aims. Our goal is to find missing SNR candidates in the Galactic disk by locating extended radio continuum sources that lack MIR counterparts. Methods. We use the combination of high-resolution 1-2 GHz continuum data from The HI, OH, Recombination line survey of the Milky Way (THOR) and lower-resolution VLA 1.4 GHz Galactic Plane Survey (VGPS) continuum data, together with MIR data from the Spitzer GLIMPSE, Spitzer MIPSGAL, and WISE surveys to identify SNR candidates. To ensure that the candidates are not being confused with H II regions, we exclude radio continuum sources from the WISE Catalog of Galactic H II Regions, which contains all known and candidate H II regions in the Galaxy. Results. We locate 76 new Galactic SNR candidates in the THOR and VGPS combined survey area of 67.4 • > > 17.5 • , | b | ≤ 1.25 • and measure the radio flux density for 52 previously-known SNRs. The candidate SNRs have a similar spatial distribution to the known SNRs, although we note a large number of new candidates near 30 • , the tangent point of the Scutum spiral arm. The candidates are on average smaller in angle compared to the known regions, 6.4 ± 4.7 versus 11.0 ± 7.8 , and have lower integrated flux densities.Conclusions. The THOR survey shows that sensitive radio continuum data can discover a large number of SNR candidates, and that these candidates can be efficiently identified using the combination of radio and MIR data. If the 76 candidates are confirmed as true SNRs, for example using radio polarization measurements or by deriving radio spectral indices, this would more than double the number of known Galactic SNRs in the survey area. This large increase would still, however, leave a discrepancy between the known and expected SNR populations of about a factor of two.

We carried out a large program with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA): "THOR: The H , OH, Recombination line survey of the Milky Way". We observed a significant portion (∼100 deg 2 ) of the Galactic plane in the first quadrant of the Milky Way in the 21 cm H  line, 4 OH transitions, 19 radio recombination lines, and continuum from 1 to 2 GHz. In this paper we present a catalog of the continuum sources in the first half of the survey (l = 14.0−37.9• and l = 47.1−51.2 • , |b| ≤ 1.1 • ) at a spatial resolution of 10−25 , depending on the frequency and sky position with a spatially varying noise level of ∼0.3−1 mJy beam −1 . The catalog contains ∼4400 sources. Around 1200 of these are spatially resolved, and ∼1000 are possible artifacts, given their low signal-to-noise ratios. Since the spatial distribution of the unresolved objects is evenly distributed and not confined to the Galactic plane, most of them are extragalactic. Thanks to the broad bandwidth of the observations from 1 to 2 GHz, we are able to determine a reliable spectral index for ∼1800 sources. The spectral index distribution reveals a double-peaked profile with maxima at spectral indices of α ≈ −1 and α ≈ 0, corresponding to steep declining and flat spectra, respectively. This allows us to distinguish between thermal and non-thermal emission, which can be used to determine the nature of each source. We examine the spectral index of ∼300 known H  regions, for which we find thermal emission with spectral indices around α ≈ 0. In contrast, supernova remnants (SNR) show non-thermal emission with α ≈ −0.5 and extragalactic objects generally have a steeper spectral index of α ≈ −1. Using the spectral index information of the THOR survey, we investigate potential SNR candidates. We classify the radiation of four SNR candidates as non-thermal, and for the first time, we provide strong evidence for the SNR origin of these candidates.

To study the atomic, molecular, and ionized emission of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in the Milky Way, we initiated a large program with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA): "THOR: The H , OH, Recombination line survey of the Milky Way". We map the 21 cm H  line, 4 OH lines, up to 19 Hα recombination lines and the continuum from 1 to 2 GHz of a significant fraction of the Milky Way (l = 15• −67• , |b| ≤ 1 • ) at an angular resolution of ∼20 . Starting in 2012, as a pilot study we mapped 4 square degrees of the GMC associated with the W43 star formation complex. The rest of the THOR survey area was observed during 2013 and 2014. In this paper, we focus on the H  emission from the W43 GMC complex. Classically, the H  21 cm line is treated as optically thin with properties such as the column density calculated under this assumption.This approach might yield reasonable results for regions of low-mass star formation, however, it is not sufficient to describe GMCs. We analyzed strong continuum sources to measure the optical depth along the line of sight, and thus correct the H  21 cm emission for optical depth effects and weak diffuse continuum emission. Hence, we are able to measure the H  mass of this region more accurately and our analysis reveals a lower limit for the H  mass of M = 6.6 −1.8 × 10 6 M (v LSR = 60−120 km s −1 ), which is a factor of 2.4 larger than the mass estimated with the assumption of optically thin emission. The H  column densities are as high as N H  ∼ 150 M pc −2 ≈ 1.9 × 10 22 cm −2 , which is an order of magnitude higher than for low-mass star formation regions. This result challenges theoretical models that predict a threshold for the H  column density of ∼10 M pc −2 , at which the formation of molecular hydrogen should set in. By assuming an elliptical layered structure for W43, we estimate the particle density profile. For the atomic gas particle density, we find a linear decrease toward the center of W43 with values decreasing from n H  = 20 cm −3 near the cloud edge to almost 0 cm −3 at its center. On the other hand, the molecular hydrogen, traced via dust observations with the Herschel Space Observatory, shows an exponential increase toward the center with densities increasing to n H 2 > 200 cm −3 , averaged over a region of ∼10 pc. While atomic and molecular hydrogen are well mixed at the cloud edge, the center of the cloud is strongly dominated by H 2 emission. We do not identify a sharp transition between hydrogen in atomic and molecular form. Our results, which challenge current theoretical models, are an important characterization of the atomic to molecular hydrogen transition in an extreme environment.

Molecular clouds form from the atomic phase of the interstellar medium. However, characterizing the transition between the atomic and the molecular interstellar medium (ISM) is a difficult observational task. Here we address cloud formation processes by combining H i self absorption (HISA) with molecular line data. Column density probability density functions (N-PDFs) are a common tool to examine molecular clouds. One scenario proposed by numerical simulations is that the N-PDF evolves from a log-normal shape at early times to a power-law-like shape at later times. To date, investigations of N-PDFs are mostly limited to the molecular component of the cloud. In this paper, we study the cold atomic component of the giant molecular filament GMF38.1-32.4a (GMF38a, distance=3.4 kpc, length∼ 230 pc), calculate its N-PDFs and study its kinematics. We identify an extended HISA feature, which is partly correlated with the 13 CO emission. The peak velocities of the HISA and 13 CO observations agree well on the eastern side of the filament, whereas a velocity offset of approximately 4 km s −1 is found on the western side. The sonic Mach number we derive from the linewidth measurements shows that a large fraction of the HISA, which is ascribed to the cold neutral medium (CNM), is at subsonic and transonic velocities. The column density of the CNM part is on the order of 10 20 to 10 21 cm −2 . The column density of molecular hydrogen, traced by 13 CO, is an order of magnitude higher. The N-PDFs from HISA (CNM), H i emission (the warm and cold neutral medium), and 13 CO (molecular component) are well described by log-normal functions, which is in agreement with turbulent motions being the main driver of cloud dynamics. The N-PDF of the molecular component also shows a power law in the high column-density region, indicating self-gravity. We suggest that we are witnessing two different evolutionary stages within the filament. The eastern subregion seems to be forming a molecular cloud out of the atomic gas, whereas the western subregion already shows high column density peaks, active star formation and evidence of related feedback processes.

Context. Because of their short evolutionary time-scales, the earliest stages of high-mass star formation prior to the existence of any embedded heating source have barely been characterized until today. Aims. We study the fragmentation and dynamical properties of a massive starless gas clump at the onset of high-mass star formation. Methods. Based on Herschel continuum data we identify a massive gas clump that remains far-infrared dark up to 100 μm wavelengths. The fragmentation and dynamical properties are investigated by means of Plateau de Bure Interferometer and Nobeyama 45 m single-dish spectral line and continuum observations. Results. The massive gas reservoir (between ∼800 and ∼1600 M , depending on the assumed dust properties) fragments at spatial scales of ∼18 000 AU in four cores. Comparing the spatial extent of this high-mass region with intermediate-to low-mass starless cores from the literature, we find that linear sizes do not vary significantly over the whole mass regime. However, the high-mass regions squeeze much more gas into these similar volumes and hence have orders of magnitude larger densities. The fragmentation properties of the presented low-to high-mass regions are consistent with gravitational instable Jeans fragmentation. Furthermore, we find multiple velocity components associated with the resolved cores. Recent radiative transfer hydrodynamic simulations of the dynamic collapse of massive gas clumps also result in multiple velocity components along the line of sight because of the clumpy structure of the regions. This result is supported by a ratio between viral and total gas mass for the whole region <1. Conclusions. This apparently still starless high-mass gas clump exhibits clear signatures of early fragmentation and dynamic collapse prior to the formation of an embedded heating source. A comparison with regions of lower mass reveals that the linear size of star-forming regions does not necessarily have to vary much for different masses, however, the mass reservoirs and gas densities are orders of magnitude enhanced for high-mass regions compared to their lower-mass siblings.

Context. The Galactic plane has been observed extensively by a large number of Galactic plane surveys from infrared to radio wavelengths at an angular resolution below 40 . However, a 21 cm line and continuum survey with comparable spatial resolution is lacking. Aims. The first half of THOR data (l = 14.0 • − 37.9 • , and l = 47.1 • − 51.2 • , |b| ≤ 1.25 • ) has been published in our data release 1 paper. With this data release 2 paper, we publish all the remaining spectral line data and Stokes I continuum data with high angular resolution (10 -40 ), including a new H i dataset for the whole THOR survey region (l = 14.0 − 67.4 • and |b| ≤ 1.25 • ). As we published the results of OH lines and continuum emission elsewhere, we concentrate on the H i analysis in this paper. Methods. With the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in C-configuration, we observed a large portion of the first Galactic quadrant, achieving an angular resolution of ≤ 40 . At L Band, the WIDAR correlator at the VLA was set to cover the 21 cm H i line, four OH transitions, a series of Hnα radio recombination lines (RRLs; n = 151 to 186), and eight 128 MHz-wide continuum spectral windows (SPWs), simultaneously.Results. We publish all OH and RRL data from the C-configuration observations, and a new H i dataset combining VLA C+D+GBT (VLA D-configuration and GBT data are from the VLA Galactic Plane Survey) for the whole survey. The H i emission shows clear filamentary substructures at negative velocities with low velocity crowding. The emission at positive velocities is more smeared-out, likely due to higher spatial and velocity crowding of structures at the positive velocities. Compared to the spiral arm model of the Milky Way, the atomic gas follows the Sagittarius and Perseus Arm well, but with significant material in the inter-arm regions. With the C-configuration-only H i+continuum data, we produced a H i optical depth map of the THOR areal coverage from 228 absorption spectra with the nearest-neighbor method. With this τ map, we corrected the H i emission for optical depth, and the derived column density is 38% higher than the column density with optically thin assumption. The total H i mass with optical depth correction in the survey region is 4.7×10 8 M , 31% more than the mass derived assuming the emission is optically thin. If we applied this 31% correction to the whole Milky Way, the total atomic gas mass would be 9.4-10.5×10 9 M . Comparing the H i with existing CO data, we find a significant increase in the atomic-to-molecular gas ratio from the spiral arms to the inter-arm regions.Conclusions. The high-sensitivity and resolution THOR H i dataset provides an important new window on the physical and kinematic properties of gas in the inner Galaxy. Although the optical depth we derive is a lower limit, our study shows that the optical depth correction is significant for H i column density and mass estimation. Together with the OH, RRL and continuum emission from the THOR survey, these new H i data provide the basis for high-angular-res...