Spherical Infall in G10.6-0.4: Accretion Through an Ultracompact Hii Region

We present high resolution (0.12× 0.079) observations of the ultracompact Hii region G10.6-0.4 in 23 GHz radio continuum and the NH3(3,3) line. Our data show that the infall in the molecular material is largely spherical, and does not flatten into a molecular disk at radii as small as 0.03 pc. The spherical infall in the molecular gas matches in location and velocity the infall seen in the ionized gas. We use a non-detection to place a stringent upper limit on the mass of an expanding molecular shell associated with pressure driven expansion of the Hii region. These data support a scenario in which the molecular accretion flow passes through an ionization front and becomes an ionized accretion flow onto one or more main sequence stars, not the classical pressure-driven expansion scenario. In the continuum emission we see evidence for externally ionized clumps of molecular gas, and cavities evacuated by an outflow from the central source. Subject headings: stars: formation — ISM: individual (G10.6-0.4) — Hii regions – accretion