The molecular gas around the luminous blue variable star G24.73+0.69

Abstract

Aims: We study the molecular environment of the luminous blue variable star G24.73+0.69 to investigate the origin of the two infrared shells around this massive star and determine its effects on the surrounding interstellar medium. Methods: We analyze the distribution of the molecular gas using the 13CO J = 1-0 emission extracted from the Galactic Ring Survey. We use near- and mid-infrared data from 2MASS and GLIMPSE to identify the young stellar objects in the field. Results: We discover the molecular counterpart to the outer infrared shell around G24.73+0.69. The CO shell was probably blown by the stellar wind of the star mainly during its main sequence phase. We also find molecular gas that corresponds to the inner infrared shell, although its origin remains uncertain. We identify seven young stellar objects within the molecular material, whose birth might have been triggered by the stellar wind of the luminous blue variable star. We suggest that both G24.73+0.69 and the progenitor of the nearby supernova remnant G24.7+0.6 were formed from the same natal cloud and represent the most evolved members of a so far undetected cluster of massive stars.