W40 region in the Gould Belt : An embedded cluster and H II region at
  the junction of filaments
  We present a multiwavelength study of W40 star-forming region using IR
observations in UKIRT JHK bands, Spitzer IRAC bands & Herschel PACS bands; 2.12
micron H2 narrow-band imaging; & radio observations from GMRT (610 & 1280 MHz),
in a FoV of ~34'x40'. Spitzer observations along with NIR observations are used
to identify 1162 Class II/III & 40 Class I sources in the FoV. The NN stellar
surface density analysis shows that majority of these YSOs constitute the
embedded cluster centered on the source IRS1A South. Some YSOs, predominantly
younger population, are distributed along & trace the filamentary structures at
lower stellar surface density. The cluster radius is obtained as 0.44pc -
matching well with the extent of radio emission - with a peak density of
650pc^-2. The JHK data is used to map the extinction which is subsequently used
to compute the cloud mass. It has resulted in 126 Msun & 71 Msun for the
central cluster & the northern IRS5 region, respectively. H2 narrow-band
imaging displays significant emission, which prominently resembles fluorescent
emission arising at the borders of dense regions. Radio analysis shows this
region as having blister morphology, with the radio peak coinciding with a
protostellar source. Free-free emission SED analysis is used to obtain physical
parameters of the overall region & the IRS5 sub-region. This multiwavelength
scenario is suggestive of star formation having resulted from merging of
multiple filaments to form a hub. Star formation seems to have taken place in
two successive epochs, with the first epoch traced by the central cluster & the
high-mass star(s) - followed by a second epoch which is spreading into the
filaments as uncovered by the Class I sources & even younger protostellar
sources along the filaments. The IRS5 HII region displays indications of
swept-up material which has possibly led to the formation of protostars.
