This thesis aims to improve our understanding of the early stages of massive star formation and of the physical properties of interstellar clouds. To achieve this, I have used submillimeter continuum dust emission data obtained by the Balloon-borne Large Aperture submillimeter Telescope (BLAST) in the first science flight in 2005, with a 2-m telescope operating simultaneously at 250, 350, and 500 micron. Unfortunately, BLAST produced images of about 3'3 resolution due to an uncharacterized optical problem. In Chapter~2, I discuss implementation of the Lucy-Richardson (L-R) method of deconvolution to restore BLAST images to near diffraction limited resolution. Its performance and convergence have been extensively analyzed through simulations and comparison of deconvolved images with available high-resolution maps. In Chapter~3, I study diverse phenomena in the Cygnus~X region associated with high mass star-formation. To interpret the BLAST emission more fully and place the compact sources in context, archival data cubes of 13CO line emission from KOSMA, MIPS images from the Spitzer Legacy Survey of this region, and 21-cm radio continuum emission from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey have been used. Utilizing available ancillary multi-wavelength observations, the influence of OB stars and stellar clusters on Cygnus~X has been studied,revisiting the well-known DR HII regions and their surroundings in the light of submillimeter continuum dust emission and CO line emission. An effort has been made to assess the evolutionary sequence of the compact sources (spatial extent of about 1~pc) on the basis of L-M diagram and subsequently to relate this sequence to independent empirical evidence and theory. Using multi-resolution observations, evidence for hierarchical substructures within molecular clouds has been examined. Finally, in Chapter~4, a multi-wavelength power spectrum analysis of the large scale brightness fluctuations in the Galactic plane is presented. This analysis has been used to assess the level of cirrus noise which limits the detection of faint sources. A characteristic power law exponent of about -2.7 has been obtained for sub-regions of Aquila and Cygnus~X. The observed relative amplitudes of power spectra at different wavelengths have been related through a spectral energy distribution, thereby determining a characteristic temperature for the Galactic diffuse emission.

This thesis aims to improve our understanding of the early stages of massive star formation and of the physical properties of interstellar clouds. To achieve this, I have used submillimeter continuum dust emission data obtained by the Balloon-borne Large Aperture submillimeter Telescope (BLAST) in the first science flight in 2005, with a 2-m telescope operating simultaneously at 250, 350, and 500 micron. Unfortunately, BLAST produced images of about 3'3 resolution due to an uncharacterized optical problem. In Chapter~2, I discuss implementation of the Lucy-Richardson (L-R) method of deconvolution to restore BLAST images to near diffraction limited resolution. Its performance and convergence have been extensively analyzed through simulations and comparison of deconvolved images with available high-resolution maps. In Chapter~3, I study diverse phenomena in the Cygnus~X region associated with high mass star-formation. To interpret the BLAST emission more fully and place the compact sources in context, archival data cubes of 13CO line emission from KOSMA, MIPS images from the Spitzer Legacy Survey of this region, and 21-cm radio continuum emission from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey have been used. Utilizing available ancillary multi-wavelength observations, the influence of OB stars and stellar clusters on Cygnus~X has been studied,revisiting the well-known DR HII regions and their surroundings in the light of submillimeter continuum dust emission and CO line emission. An effort has been made to assess the evolutionary sequence of the compact sources (spatial extent of about 1~pc) on the basis of L-M diagram and subsequently to relate this sequence to independent empirical evidence and theory. Using multi-resolution observations, evidence for hierarchical substructures within molecular clouds has been examined. Finally, in Chapter~4, a multi-wavelength power spectrum analysis of the large scale brightness fluctuations in the Galactic plane is presented. This analysis has been used to assess the level of cirrus noise which limits the detection of faint sources. A characteristic power law exponent of about -2.7 has been obtained for sub-regions of Aquila and Cygnus~X. The observed relative amplitudes of power spectra at different wavelengths have been related through a spectral energy distribution, thereby determining a characteristic temperature for the Galactic diffuse emission.

The process of massive star formation greatly influences its surroundings through their outflows, vast UV output and shocks from their supernova death. They form at great distances from the Earth, enshrouded by dust and gas and have relatively short lifetimes. Astrophysical masers which form in these environments may act as locators of the star forming regions. The aim of this thesis is to study massive star formation using masers to probe these regions. The three main masers used in this thesis are the Class I and Class II methanol masers and the 6035 MHz ex-OH maser. The methanol masers are divided into two groups, Class I and Class II, based on their distance from a central source. The Class I masers are separated 1-2 pc from a central source, the central source is the star forming region. The Class II masers are associated close to a star forming source. They are often associated with a 6035 MHz ex-OH maser. The 6035 MHz ex-OH masers are less common than the 6668 MHz Class I methanol masers. They are often found at sites of the 6668 MHz Class I masers and 1665/7 MHz OH masers. This thesis presents two maser surveys, the Methanol Multibeam (MMB) survey and the Class I survey. The MMB survey is currently surveying the entire Galactic Plane for the 6668 MHz Class II methanol maser and the 6035 MHz ex-OH maser. Over 60\% of the survey in the Southern hemisphere is now complete using the Parkes telescope. Over 900 6668 MHz Class I methanol masers and 110 6035 MHz ex-OH masers have been detected, with all of these masers pinpoint the location of newly forming high mass stars. Follow up observations to determine the precise locations of the 6668 MHz methanol and 6035 MHz ex-OH masers are currently underway. The first ever unbiased Class I survey has observed 1 sq degree of the Galactic Plane for the 44 GHz Class I methanol masers using the Mopra telescope in Australia. The 44 GHz Class II methanol masers are hypothesised to be associated with the outflows of high mass stellar objects. The Class I survey has detected 25 44 GHz methanol masers, with 23 being new detections. A smaller survey for 36 GHz Class I masers was also conducted using the Mopra telescope centered on the region with the highest population of 44 GHz Class I masers.

The mechanism by which massive stars form is not nearly as well understood as it is for lower mass stars. For instance, at the onset of massive star formation, it is still not clear whether the mass for a given massive star comes from the turbulent collapse of a dense core (i.e McKee & Tan, 2003) or whether the star continues to accrete material from the cores environment as it grows (i.e. Bonnell et al., 1998). From this point, it is suggested that the cold, massive core (an Infrared Dar Cloud) begins to heat up and form a Hot Core. Later in its protostellar evolution, an HII region forms from the ionizing radiation being produced by the massive star. How, or even whether, accretion onto the massive protostar can continue in the presence of the large outward thermal and radiation pressures from the star is also quite uncertain. Can the star continue to accrete ionized gas (i.e. Keto & Wood, 2006)? Are the accretion rates high enough early on to account for the final observed masses (i.e. Klaassen et al., 2006)? Or, is there some way of minimizing the radiation pressure affecting the infalling gas (i.e. McKee & Ostriker, 2007, and references therein). Here, we present observations which suggest that there is a statistically significant, although short, period in which rotation and infall of molecular gas (which powers a bipolar outflow) continue after the formation of an HII region. This continued infall of material is seen on both large and small scales, and appears to be continuing to produce outflows in many of the sources observed in this study. That it is not seen in all sources suggests that this stage is short lived. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

La naissance des étoiles massives est aujourd’hui encore mal comprise. En particulier, les conditions initiales de leur formation restent largement inconnues. Pour éclairer cette question, nous avons réalisé un relevé spectral complet non biaisé avec le télescope 30 m de l’IRAM vers la protoétoile massive CygX-N63 (M ~ 58 M◦ et L~ 340 L◦). Nous avons mis en évidence une complexité moléculaire significative avec plus de 40 espèces. L’ion CF+ est observé pour la première fois dans une protoétoile. Une possible première détection de l’espèce prébiotique CH2NH dans une protoétoile est aussi proposée, ainsi qu’une première détection de DOCO+. Cette étude spectroscopique, accompagnée d’observations interférométriques avec le Plateau de Bure, permet de séparer la contribution des différentes régions : enveloppe froide, région tiède, région de type hot core et flot bipolaire. L’enveloppe est constituée d’une grande quantité de gaz froid peu évolué, offrant un potentiel important pour la compréhension des phases précoces de la formation stellaire massive et compatible avec un scénario d’effondrement monolithique. La modélisation chimique montre que la chimie de ce gaz est encore hors équilibre, malgré sa haute densité, et confirme la jeunesse de la protoétoile avec un âge chimique de seulement ~ 1000 ans. N63 est un précurseur de hot core plutôt qu’un hot corino massif. Il serait donc possible de distinguer, grâce à des diagnostics chimiques évolutifs, les précurseurs d’étoiles massives des protoétoiles de masse faible ou ntermédiaire. / High-mass star formation is still poorly understood. In particular the initial conditions of their formation are unknown. To explore this question, a complete unbiased spectral survey was conducted with the IRAM 30 m telescope toward the massive protostar CygX-N63 (M~58 M◦ and L~ 340 L◦). A significant molecular complexity is found, with more than 40 species. The ion CF+ is observed for the first time in a protostar. A possible first detection of the prebiotic species CH2NH in a protostar and a first detection of DOCO+ are proposed. This spectroscopic study, along with Plateau de Bure interferometric observations, allows us to separate the contribution of different regions : cold envelope, lukewarm region, hot corelike region and outflow. The envelope contains large amounts of cold and young gas, which gives us the opportunity to better understand the early phases of massive star formation. The chemical modeling shows that the chemistry is still out of equilibrium, despite its high density, and confirms the youth of the protostar with a chemical age of ~ 1000 years. N63 is a hot core precursor rather than a massive hot corino. The use of chemical diagnostics of the evolution would then allow to distinguish massive star precursors from low-mass or intermediate-mass protostars.

Cette thèse présente une étude des coeurs denses et massifs de deux régions de formation d'étoiles massives de notre Galaxie. J'utilise pour ce travail des observations Herschel-HOBYS de NGC 6334 et NGC 6357 complémentées par les sondages GLIMPSE, MIPSGAL, ATLASGAL, MALT90 ainsi que des observations SCUBA-2 et SIMBA. La vision multi-longueur d'onde m'a permis d'identifier spatialement les coeurs les plus denses des deux régions et d'extraire leur distribution spectrale d' énergie. J'ai modélisé l'émission des coeurs pour extraire leurs paramètres physiques et j'ai utilisé des données infrarouge, des catalogues de sources masers et radio, ainsi que des raies mol éculaires pour déterminer leur statut évolutif. Mon travail présente l'extraction des coeurs denses et massifs ainsi que l'analyse de leur distribution spatiale et de leurs paramètres physiques dans le contexte évolutif de la formation d'étoiles massives dans les régions NGC 6334 et NGC 6357. / This thesis aims at studying the massive dense cores found inside two regions of high-mass star formation within our Galaxy. I make use of Herschel observations of NGC 6334 and NGC 6357 from the HOBYS project, complemented with the GLIMPSE, MPISGAL, ATLASGAL, MALT90 surveys as well as observations from SCUBA-2 and SIMBA. The multi-wavelength view allows me to spatially identify the densest cores in both regions and extract their spectral energy distribution. I modelled the emission from the cores to extract their physical parameters and I used infrared data, masers and radio catalogues, and molecular lines to assess their evolutionary status. My study present the extraction of massive dense cores in the regions NGC 6334 and NGC 6357 together with the analysis of their spatial distribution and physical parameters in the evolutionnary context of massivestar formation that is occuring in both regions.