Using 25 years of data from uninterrupted monitoring of stellar orbits in the Galactic Center (GC), we present an update of the main results from this unique data set: a measurement of mass and distance to SgrA*. Our progress is not only due to the eight-year increase in time base, but also to the improved definition of the coordinate system. The star S2 continues to yield the best constraints on the mass of and distance to Sgr A*; the statistical errors of 0.13x10^6^M_{sun}_ and 0.12kpc have halved compared to the previous study. The S2 orbit fit is robust and does not need any prior information. Using coordinate system priors, the star S1 also yields tight constraints on mass and distance. For a combined orbit fit, we use 17 stars, which yields our current best estimates for mass and distance: M=4.28+/-0.10|_stat._+/-0.21|_sys_x10^6^M_{sun}_ and R_0_=8.32+/-0.07|_stat._+/-0.14|_sys_kpc. These numbers are in agreement with the recent determination of R_0_ from the statistical cluster parallax. The positions of the mass, of the near-infrared flares from Sgr A*, and of the radio source Sgr A* agree to within 1mas. In total, we have determined orbits for 40 stars so far, a sample which consists of 32 stars with randomly oriented orbits and a thermal eccentricity distribution, plus eight stars that we can explicitly show are members of the clockwise disk of young stars, and which have lower-eccentricity orbits.
We studied the environment of the dust bubble N10 in molecular emission. Infrared bubbles, first detected by the GLIMPSE survey at 8.0{mu}m, are ideal regions to investigate the effect of the expansion of the HII region on its surroundings and the eventual triggering of star formation at its borders. In this work, we present a multi-wavelength study of N10. This bubble is especially interesting because infrared studies of the young stellar content suggest a scenario of ongoing star formation, possibly triggered on the edge of the HII region. We carried out observations of ^12^CO(1-0) and ^13^CO(1-0) emission at PMO 13.7m toward N10. We also analyzed the IR and sub-millimeter emission on this region and compare those different tracers to obtain a detailed view of the interaction between the expanding HII region and the molecular gas. We also estimated the parameters of the denser cold dust condensation and the ionized gas inside the shell. Bright CO emission was detected and two molecular clumps were identified from which we have derived physical parameters. We also estimate the parameters for the densest cold dust condensation and for the ionized gas inside the shell. The comparison between the dynamical age of this region and the fragmentation timescale favors the "Radiation-Driven Implosion" mechanism of star formation. N10 is a case of particular interest with gas structures in a narrow frontier between the HII region and surrounding molecular material, and with a range of ages of YSOs situated in the region, indicating triggered star formation.
The central kpc of the Milky Way might be expected to differ significantly from the rest of the Galaxy with regard to gasdynamics and the formation of young stellar objects (YSOs). We probe this possibility with mid-infrared observations obtained with Infrared Array Camera and Multiband Imaging Photometer on Spitzer and with Midcourse Space Experiment. We use color-color diagrams and spectral energy distribution (SED) fits to explore the nature of YSO candidates (including objects with 4.5um excesses possibly due to molecular emission). We use the SEDs of these sources to estimate their physical characteristics; their masses appear to range from ~10 to ~20M_{sun}_.
