2023A&A...675A..53B

Context. Core accretion models of massive star formation require the existence of massive, starless cores within molecular clouds. Yet, only a small number of candidates for such truly massive, monolithic cores are currently known.
Aims. Here we analyse a massive core in the well-studied infrared-dark cloud (IRDC) called the 'dragon cloud' (also known as G028.37+00.07 or 'Cloud C'). This core (C2c1) sits at the end of a chain of a roughly equally spaced actively star-forming cores near the center of the IRDC.
Methods. We present new high-angular-resolution 1 mm ALMA dust continuum and molecular line observations of the massive core.
Results. The high-angular-resolution observations show that this region fragments into two cores, C2c1a and C2c1b, which retain significant background-subtracted masses of 23 M_⊙ and 2 M_⊙ (31 M_⊙ and 6 M_⊙ without background subtraction), respectively. The cores do not appear to fragment further on the scales of our highest-angular-resolution images (0.2″, 0.005 pc ∼ 1000 AU). We find that these cores are very dense (n_H2 > 10⁶ cm^–3) and have only trans-sonic non-thermal motions (ℳ_s ∼ 1). Together the mass, density, and internal motions imply a virial parameter of <1, which suggests the cores are gravitationally unstable, unless supported by strong magnetic fields with strengths of ∼1-10 mG. From CO line observations, we find that there is tentative evidence for a weak molecular outflow towards the lower-mass core, and yet the more massive core remains devoid of any star formation indicators.
Conclusions. We present evidence for the existence of a massive, pre-stellar core, which has implications for theories of massive star formation. This source warrants follow-up higher-angular-resolution observations to further assess its monolithic and pre-stellar nature.