The Ammonia Core in L723: Hot Spots at the Center of the Quadrupolar Molecular Outflow

Abstract

We present the results of VLA NH3 and H2O observations, as well as Haystack 13CO, C18O, and H2O observations toward the center of the peculiar quadrupolar molecular outflow in L723. In NH3 we detected a high-density structure, ~17 (~0.15 pc) long, elongated in roughly the east-west direction, with the radio continuum source VLA 2 located near its center. We find evidence in the ammonia maps for heating and line broadening toward VLA 2, confirming that this source is driving the large lobe pair of the quadrupolar molecular outflow. Additionally, H2O maser emission is detected toward this radio continuum source. A second, very compact ammonia hot spot is observed 10'' west of VLA 2. This hot spot may be heated by a deeply embedded (still undetected) young stellar object that could be the driving source of the more compact pair of molecular outflow lobes. No ammonia emission is detected at the position of the source VLA 1, which is probably a line-of-sight source.