CO J = 3-2 observations of molecular line sources having high-velocity wings

Abstract

Twelve molecular line sources which exhibit high-velocity wings in the CO $J$ = 1-0 rotational transition have been observed in the CO $J$ = 3-2 line. The densities derived using observations of the transition in combination with the lower lines can be considerably higher than those derived purely from mapping the CO $J$ = 1-0 transition, in some cases by over an order of magnitude. This general conclusion tends to increase the likelihood that the outflows are capable of supporting clouds against free-fall gravitational collapse. Low values of apparent CO fractional abundance per unit velocity gradient are derived, which may be due to a depletion of CO in the outflow regions or alternatively, to clumping of the outflowing molecular gas.