Unveiling the Evolution of Chemical Complexity During Massive Star Formation

We present a comprehensive analysis of the chemical properties and physical conditions of 29 massive star-forming sources, using observational data from both ALMA 1.3 mm observations and multiwavelength mid to far infrared continuum data. Our primary focus is the intricate interstellar chemistry in the dense envelopes surrounding massive stars (> 8 Msun). These stars are fascinating environments for detecting and understanding the evolution of molecular species, especially Complex Organic Molecules (COMs) - those with six or more atoms. Our extensive sample reveals varied molecular diversity. In our sample, chemical complexity varies from G58.77 with approximately 1 line/GHz to the densely populated G337.40 with around 81 lines/GHz. In certain instances, we've identified up to 11 distinct COMs in individual sources. Through a rigorous spectral energy distribution (SED) analysis, we've inferred significant properties such as core mass, envelope mass, and isotropic bolometric luminosity. Of interest, we have found correlations between line parameters (e.g., intensity, FWHM) of certain molecules, notably CH3OH, and protostellar properties like envelope mass and luminosity. Furthermore, our data suggests systematic differences in internal kinematic properties of line emission across our sampled species. This study offers a deep dive into the relationship between physical properties and molecular compositions in star-forming regions. Overall, our findings contribute significantly to the understanding of chemical evolution during massive star formation and shed light on the processes influencing the environments of these astronomical giants.