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Description
We present the results of PdBI 1.4 and 3.4mm interferometric observations of the high-mass star-forming region W3 IRS5 in the AB configurations. From the continuum maps we identified five individual sources with counterparts in the NIR, MIR or radio (Q-band), except for one source that is a new identification. Three of the sources are within the inner 2100AU, where the protostellar number density exceeds 10^6^ protostars pc^-3^ assuming spherical symmetry. Lower limits for the circumstellar masses of the sources range from ~0.3 to ~40M_{sun}_ although they were strongly affected by the spatial filtering of the interferometer. We mapped the SiO(2-1), SiO(5-4), SO2(22-22), and SO2(8-9) molecular transitions. We identify five molecular outflows in SiO, two of them nearly in the line of sight direction. The SO2 velocity structure indicates a rotating, bound system, and we find tentative signatures of converging flows as predicted by the gravoturbulent star formation and converging flow theories. The obtained data strongly indicate that the clustered environment has a major influence on the formation of high-mass stars; however, our data do not clearly allow us to distinguish whether the ongoing star-forming process follows a monolithic collapse or a competitive accretion mechanism.
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