High-Velocity molecular bullets in bipolar outflows: L1448 and HH7-11

Abstract

On the main axis of two bipolar outflows (L1448 and HH7-11), we have discovered molecular clumps (“bullets”) moving at extremely high-velocities. The observations were made in CO lines (mainly J = 2 — 1) with the IRAM 30-m telescope at Pico Veleta, near Granada (Spain). We present in Figure 1 some profiles observed toward the axis of the two outflows. In addition to the ambient line and to the extremely high-velocity wings, we observe several very well defined peaks at high velocities. Our maps show that these features are well delimited in the space, indicating that they arise in small high-velocity clumps or “bullets”.