Starless MDCs of NGC6334 molecular spectra

Their mass and size (~110M_{sun}_ and r=0.1pc, respectively) are similar to the initial conditions used in the quasi-static family of models explaining for the formation of high-mass stars.We present ALMA 1.4mm continuum observations that resolve the Jeans length ({lambda}_Jeans_~0.03pc) and that are sensitive to the Jeans mass (M_Jeans_~0.65M_{sun}_) in the 9 starless MDCs, together with ALMA-^12^CO(2-1) emission line observations.

We also present HCO^+^(1-0), H^13^CO+(1-0) and N_2_H^+^(1-0) molecular lines from the MOPRA telescope for 8 of the 9 MDCs. The 9 starless MDCs have the mass reservoir to form high-mass stars according to the criteria by Baldeschi et al. (2017MNRAS.466.3682B). Three of the starless MDCs are subvirialized with {alpha}_vir_~0.35, and 4 MDCs show sign of collapse from their molecular emission lines.

ALMA observations show very little fragmentation within the MDCs. Only two of the starless MDCs host compact continuum sources, whose fluxes correspond to <3M_{sun}_ fragments. Therefore the mass reservoir of the MDCs has not yet been accreted onto compact objects, and most of the emission is filtered out by the interferometer.

These observations do not support the quasi-static models for high-mass star formation since no high-mass pre-stellar core is found in NGC6334. The competitive accretion models, on the other hand, predict a level of fragmentation much higher than what we observe