Filamentary Accretion Flows in the Embedded Serpens South Protocluster
  One puzzle in understanding how stars form in clusters is the source of mass
-- is all of the mass in place before the first stars are born, or is there an
extended period when the cluster accretes material which can continuously fuel
the star formation process? We use a multi-line spectral survey of the southern
filament associated with the Serpens South embedded cluster-forming region in
order to determine if mass is accreting from the filament onto the cluster, and
whether the accretion rate is significant. Our analysis suggests that material
is flowing along the filament's long axis at a rate of ~30Msol/Myr (inferred
from the N2H+ velocity gradient along the filament), and radially contracting
onto the filament at ~130Msol/Myr (inferred from HNC self-absorption). These
accretion rates are sufficient to supply mass to the central cluster at a
similar rate to the current star formation rate in the cluster. Filamentary
accretion flows may therefore be very important in the ongoing evolution of
this cluster.
