The peculiar circumstellar environment of NGC 2024 IRS2

We re-examine the nature of NGC 2024 IRS2 in light of the recent discovery of the late O-type star, IRS2b, located 5 �� from IRS2. Using L-band spectroscopy, we set a lower limit of AV = 27.0 mag on the visual extinction towards IRS2. Arguments based on the nature of the circumstellar material, favor an AV of 31.5 mag. IRS2 is associated with the UCH region G206.543-16.347 and the infrared source IRAS 05393-0156. We show that much of the mid-infrared emission towards IRS2, as well as the far infrared emission peaking at ∼100 µm, do not originate in the direct surroundings of IRS2, but instead from an extended molecular cloud. Using new K-, L -a ndL � -band spectroscopy and a comprehensive set of infrared and radio continuum measurements from the literature, we apply diagnostics based on the radio slope, the strength of the infrared hydro- gen recombination lines, and the presence of CO band-heads to constrain the nature and spatial distribution of the circumstellar material of IRS2. Using simple gaseous and/or dust models of prescribed geometry, we find strong indications that the infrared flux originating in the circumstellar material of IRS2 is dominated by emission from a dense gaseous disk with a radius of about 0.6 AU. At radio wavelengths the flux density distribution is best described by a stellar wind recombining at a radius of about 100 AU. Although NGC 2024 IRS2 shares many similarities with BN-like objects, we do not find evidence for the presence of a dust shell surrounding this object. Therefore, IRS2 is likely more evolved.