2-D Monte Carlo simulations of H I line formation in massive YSO disk winds

Abstract

Massive young stellar objects (YSOs) are powerful infrared H I line emitters. It has been suggested that these lines form in a outflow from a disk surrounding the YSO. Here, new two-dimensional Monte Carlo radiative transfer calculations are described which test this hypothesis. Infrared spectra are synthesised for a YSO disk wind model based on earlier hydrodynamical calculations. The model spectra are in qualitative agreement with the observed spectra from massive YSOs, and therefore provide support for a disk wind explanation for the H I lines. However, there are some significant differences: the models tend to overpredict the Br alpha/Br gamma ratio of equivalent-widths and produce line profiles which are slightly too broad and, in contrast to typical observations, are double-peaked. The interpretation of these differences within the context of the disk wind picture and suggestions for their resolution via modifications to the assumed disk and outflow structure are discussed.