NH3 line profiles in star-forming regions

We present a systematic study of this "hyperfine intensity anomaly" (HIA) toward a sample of 334 high-mass star forming regions: 310 high-mass (>~100M_{sun}_) clumps and 24 infrared dark clouds. The HIA is ubiquitous in high-mass star forming regions.

Although LTE excitation predicts that the intensity ratios of the outer satellites and inner satellites are exactly unity, for this sample the ensemble average ratios are 0.812+/-0.004 and 1.125+/-0.005, respectively. We have quantified the HIA and find no significant relationships between the HIA and temperature, line width, optical depth, and the stage of stellar evolution. The fact that HIAs are common in high-mass star-forming regions suggests that the conditions that lead to HIAs are ubiquitous in these regions.