Probing Outflows from Massive Proto-stars with High-J CO Lines

Massive star formation remains one of the major challengesof modern astrophysics. One key ingredient which is stillpoorly understood are the massive outflows whichare observed near 100 % detection rate toward massiveprotostars. The CO molecule is in principle the bestprobe of the flows, however most work has been donewith lowJ transitions which can only probe the outersweptup layers of the flows. HighJ CO transitions on theother hand probe the warm gas very near the massiveprotostars and are ideal probes of the physics and role of theflows in the formation of massive stars.We propose to obtain observations in the CO(109) and13CO(109), C18O(109) and the CO(1615) lines toward a sample of 4 massive protostars which drive massive flows.We will join these data with existing lower and midJ CO data,EVLA continuum and SPITZER/IRAC data. We will carry outradiative transfer calculations of the CO lines to determinetheir physical properties as function of velocity. All datatogether will be used to investigate the driving andcollimation mechanisms and and to develop coherent modelsfor the massive flows. truncated!, Please see actual data for full text [truncated!, Please see actual data for full text]