Unlocking accretion rate diagnostics for high-mass protostars using JWST/MIRI HI lines

Abstract

While many aspects of high-mass star formation have been investigated, the accretion onto the central protostars is one of the most fundamental but less explored physical properties. JWST/MIRI offers a unique opportunity to explore tracers of accretion at less-extincted wavelengths (5 to 27 um) than those studied so far. We probe the MIRI (MRS/IFU) capability to detect and resolve atomic Hydrogen (HI) emission lines in such embedded objects, to subsequently estimate accretion luminosities (Lacc) and accretion rates (Macc) for the first time in a sample of high-mass star forming regions at different evolutionary stages. We use dereddened HI line luminosities as tracers of accretion by applying existing line-to-accretion-luminosity relations (Lacc-calibrations). As they were originally established for low-mass Class II objects, we assess their applicability on our sample prior to estimating Macc. The infrared continuum reveals, at much higher spatial resolution than before, the location of new protostars, toward which we detect a handful of HI lines. While a few lines are secure detections, many are tentative. The most commonly detected line is HI 7-6, followed by HI 8-6 and HI 6-5. Assuming that their line fluxes are dominated by accretion, we find that two of the three existing Lacc-calibrations predict excessively high Lacc that largely exceed the corresponding L_bol, and that the third Lacc-calibration still overpredicts Lacc for some sources. Considering the given uncertainties, estimated accretion rates are only tentative. This work demonstrates the great potential of JWST/MIRI to probe HI line emission originated in the innermost regions of high-mass protostars, setting the ground floor for further investigations into accretion. While this project had the ambitious goal of robustly quantifying Macc, we have shed light on what outstanding methodological challenges remain.