Protostellar Components Research Articles

The factors that influence protostellar multiplicity

Context. Protostellar multiplicity is common at all stages and mass ranges. However, the factors that determine the multiplicity of protostellar systems have not been systematically characterized through their molecular gas. Aims. We characterize the physical properties of the Perseus molecular cloud at ≥5000 AU scales by mapping the diagnostic molecular lines. Methods. We used Nobeyama 45m Radio Observatory (NRO) on-the-fly maps of HCN, HNC, HCO+, and N2H+ (J=1–0) toward five subregions in Perseus, complemented with single-pointing Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) observations of HNC (J = 4–3), to derive the physical parameters of the dense gas. The spatial resolutions of both observations were ~18″, which is equivalent to ~5000 AU scales at the distance of Perseus. The kinetic gas temperature was derived from the I(HCN)/I(HNC) J ratio, and the H2 density was obtained from the HNC J=4–3/J=1–0 ratio. These parameters were used to obtain the N2H+ (cold) and HCO+ (warm) gas masses. The inferred and derived parameters were then compared to source the parameters, including protostellar multiplicity, bolometric luminosity, and dust envelope mass. Results. The inferred mean kinetic gas temperature (I(HCN)/I(HNC) J=1–0 ratio; ranging between 15 and 26 K), and H2 volumetric density (HNC J=4–3/J=1–0; 105−106 cm−3) are not correlated with multiplicity in Perseus. The derived gas and dust masses, 1.3 to 16 × 10−9 M⊙ for the cold-gas mass (N2H+), 0.1 to 25 M⊙ for the envelope dust masses (850 μm), and 0.8 to 10 × 10−10 M⊙ for the warm-gas mass (HCO+), are correlated to multiplicity and to the number of protostellar components. The warm-gas masses are lower by a factor of 16 than the cold-gas masses. Conclusions. The gas and dust mass is correlated to multiplicity at ~5000 AU scales in Perseus. Higher-order multiples tend to have higher gas and dust masses in general, while close binaries (separations ≤7″) and single protostars have similar gas and dust mass distributions. On the other hand, the H2 density and kinetic gas temperature are not correlated with multiplicity.

Triple Spiral Arms of a Triple Protostar System Imaged in Molecular Lines

Most stars form in multiple-star systems. For a better understanding of their formation processes, it is important to resolve the individual protostellar components and the surrounding envelope and disk material at the earliest possible formation epoch, because the formation history can be lost in a few orbital timescales. Here we present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observational results of a young multiple protostellar system, IRAS 04239+2436, where three well-developed large spiral arms were detected in the shocked SO emission. Along the most conspicuous arm, the accretion streamer was also detected in the SO2 emission. The observational results are complemented by numerical magnetohydrodynamic simulations, where those large arms only appear in magnetically weakened clouds. Numerical simulations also suggest that the large triple spiral arms are the result of gravitational interactions between compact triple protostars and the turbulent infalling envelope.

Unlocking the sulphur chemistry in intermediate-mass protostars of Cygnus X

Context. The chemistry of sulphur-bearing species in the interstellar medium remains poorly understood, but might play a key role in the chemical evolution of star-forming regions. Aims. Coupling laboratory experiments to observations of sulphur-bearing species in different parts of star-forming regions, we aim to understand the chemical behavior of the sulphur species in cold and warm regions of protostars, and we ultimately hope to connect them. Methods. We performed laboratory experiments in which we tested the reactivity of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on a cold substrate with hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide (CO) under different physical conditions that allowed us to determine the products from sulphur reactions using a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The laboratory experiments were complemented by observations. We observed two luminous binary sources in the Cygnus-X star-forming complex, Cygnus X-N30 and N12, covering a frequency range of 329–361 GHz at a spatial resolution of 1′′5 with the SubMillimeter Array (SMA). This study was complemented by a 3 mm line survey of Cygnus X-N12 covering specific frequency windows in the frequency ranges 72.0–79.8 GHz at a spatial resolution of 34′′0–30′′0 and 84.2–115.5 GHz at a spatial resolution of 29′′0–21′′0, with the IRAM-30 m single-dish telescope. Column densities and excitation temperatures were derived under the local thermodynamic equilibrium approximation. Results. We find that OCS is a direct product from H2S reacting with CO and H under cold temperatures (T < 100 K) from laboratory experiments. OCS is therefore found to be an important solid-state S-reservoir. We identify several S-species in the cold envelope of Cyg X-N12, principally organo-sulphurs (H2CS, CS, OCS, CCS, C3S, CH3SH, and HSCN). For the hot cores of Cyg X-N12 and N30, only OCS, CS and H2CS were detected. We found a difference in the S-diversity between the hot core and the cold envelope of N12, which is likely due to the sensitivity of the observations toward the hot core of N12. Moreover, based on the hot core analysis of N30, the difference in S-diversity is likely driven by chemical processes rather than the low sensitivity of the observations. Furthermore, we found that the column density ratio of NCS/NSO is also an indicator of the warm (NCS/NSO > 1), cold (NCS/NSO < 1) chemistries within the same source. The line survey and molecular abundances inferred for the sulphur species are similar for protostars N30 and N12 and depends on the protostellar component targeted (i.e., envelope or hot core) rather than on the source itself. However, the spatial distribution of emission toward Cyg X-N30 shows differences compared to N12: toward N12, all molecular emission peaks on the two continuum sources, whereas emission is spatially distributed and shows variations within molecular families (N, O, and C families) toward N30. Moreover, this spatial distribution of all the identified S-species is offset from the N30 continuum peaks. The sulphur-bearing molecules are therefore good tracers to connect the hot and cold chemistry and to provide insight into the type of object that is observed.

The first ALMA view of IRAS 16293-2422

Aims: We focus on the kinematical properties of a proto-binary to study the infall and rotation of gas towards its two protostellar components. Methods: We present ALMA Science Verification observations with high-spectral resolution of IRAS 16293-2422 at 220.2 GHz. The wealth of molecular lines in this source and the very high spectral resolution offered by ALMA allow us to study the gas kinematics with unprecedented detail. Results: We present the first detection of an inverse P-Cygni profile towards source B in the three brightest lines. The line profiles are fitted with a simple two-layer model to derive an infall rate of 4.5x10^-5 Msun/yr. This infall detection would rule-out the previously suggested possibility that source B is a T Tauri star. A position velocity diagram for source A shows evidence for rotation with an axis close to the line-of-sight.

A KEPLERIAN CIRCUMBINARY DISK AROUND THE PROTOSTELLAR SYSTEM L1551 NE

We present SubMillimeter-Array observations of a Keplerian disk around the Class I protobinary system L1551 NE in 335 GHz continuum emission and submillimeter line emission in 13CO (J=3-2) and C18O (J=3-2) at a resolution of ~120 x 80 AU. The 335-GHz dust-continuum image shows a strong central peak closely coincident with the binary protostars and likely corresponding to circumstellar disks, surrounded by a ~600 x 300 AU feature elongated approximately perpendicular to the [Fe II] jet from the southern protostellar component suggestive of a circumbinary disk. The 13CO and C18O images confirm that the circumbinary continuum feature is indeed a rotating disk; furthermore, the C18O channel maps can be well modeled by a geometrically-thin disk exhibiting Keplerian rotation. We estimate a mass for the circumbinary disk of ~0.03-0.12 Msun, compared with an enclosed mass of ~0.8 Msun that is dominated by the protobinary system. Compared with several other Class I protostars known to exhibit Keplerian disks, L1551 NE has the lowest bolometric temperature (~91 K), highest envelope mass (~0.39 Msun), and the lowest ratio in stellar mass to envelope + disk + stellar mass (~0.65). L1551 NE may therefore be the youngest protostellar object so far found to exhibit a Keplerian disk. Our observations present firm evidence that Keplerian disks around binary protostellar systems, ``Keplerian circumbinary disks', can exist. We speculate that tidal effects from binary companions could transport angular momenta toward the inner edge of the circumbinary disk and create the Keplerian circumbinary disk.

Subarcsecond SMA observations of the prototype Class 0 object VLA1623 at 1.3 mm: a single protostar with a structured outflow cavity?

We present 1.3-mm subarcsecond SMA observations of the prototypical Class 0 protostar VLA1623. We report the detection of 1.3-mm continuum emission both from the central protostellar component VLA1623 and two additional sources, Knot-A and Knot-B, which have been already detected at longer wavelengths. Knot-A and Knot-B are both located along the western cavity wall opened by the protostellar outflow from VLA1623. Our SMA observations moreover show that these two continuum sources are associated with bright, high-velocity 12CO(2–1) emission, slightly shifted downstream of the outflow propagation direction with respect to the 1.3-mm continuum emission peaks. The alignment of Knot-A and Knot-B along the protostellar outflow cavity, the compactness of their 1.3-mm continuum emission, and the properties of the associated CO emission suggest that these two sources trace outflow features due to shocks along the cavity wall, rather than protostellar objects. While it was considered as one of the best examples of a close protobinary system so far, the present analysis suggests that the prototypical Class 0, VLA1623, is single on the scales a > 100 AU probed by our SMA observations. Moreover, we present here the second robust case of compact millimeter continuum emission produced by interactions between the protostellar jet and the envelope of a Class 0 protostar, which suggests a high occurrence of these outflow features during the embedded phase.

POISSON project

Characterising stellar and circumstellar properties of embedded young stellar objects (YSOs) is mandatory for understanding the early stages of the stellar evolution. This task requires the combination of both spectroscopy and photometry, covering the widest possible wavelength range, to disentangle the various protostellar components and activities. As part of the POISSON project, we present a multi-wavelength spectroscopic and photometric investigation of embedded YSOs in L1641, aimed to derive the stellar parameters and evolutionary stages and to infer their accretion properties. Our database includes low-resolution optical-IR spectra from the NTT and Spitzer (0.6-40 um) and photometric data covering a spectral range from 0.4 to 1100 um, which allow us to construct the YSOs spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and to infer the main stellar parameters. The SED analysis allows us to group our 27 YSOs into nine Class I, eleven Flat, and seven Class II objects. However, on the basis of the derived stellar properties, only six Class I YSOs have an age of ~10^5 yr, while the others are older 5x10^5-10^6 yr), and, among the Flat sources, three out of eleven are more evolved objects (5x10^6-10^7 yr), indicating that geometrical effects can significantly modify the SED shapes. Inferred mass accretion rates (Macc) show a wide range of values (3.6x10^-9 to 1.2x10^-5 M_sun yr^-1), which reflects the age spread observed in our sample. Average values of mass accretion rates, extinction, and spectral indices decrease with the YSO class. The youngest YSOs have the highest Macc, whereas the oldest YSOs do not show any detectable jet activity in either images and spectra. We also observe a clear correlation among the YSO Macc, M*, and age, consistent with mass accretion evolution in viscous disc models.

MULTIPLE BIPOLAR MOLECULAR OUTFLOWS FROM THE L1551 IRS5 PROTOSTELLAR SYSTEM

The multiple protostellar system L1551 IRS5 exhibits a large-scale bipolar molecular outflow. We have studied this outflow within ~4000 AU of its driving source(s) with the SubMillimeter Array. Our CO(2-1) image at ~4" (~560 AU) resolution reveals three distinct components: 1) an X-shaped structure spanning ~20" from center with a similar symmetry axis and velocity pattern as the large-scale outflow; 2) an S-shaped structure spanning ~10" from center also with an opposite velocity pattern to the large-scale outflow; and 3) a compact central component spanning ~1.4" from center again with a similar symmetry axis and velocity pattern as the large-scale outflow. The X-shaped component likely comprises the limb-brightened walls of a cone-shaped cavity excavated by the outflows from the two main protostellar components. The compact central component likely comprises material newly entrained by one or both outflows from the two main protostellar components. The S-shaped component mostly likely comprises a precessing outflow with its symmetry axis inclined in the opposite sense to the plane of the sky than the other two components. This outflow may be driven by a recently reported candidate third protostellar component in L1551 IRS5, whose circumstellar disk is misaligned relative to the two main protostellar components. Gravitational interactions between this protostellar component and its more massive northern neighbor may be causing the circumstellar disk and hence outflow of this component to precess.

Star Formation in the Bok Globule CB54

We present mid-infrared (10.4, 11.7, and 18.3 μm) imaging intended to locate and characterize the suspected protostellar components within the Bok globule CB54. We detect and confirm the protostellar status for the near-infrared source CB54YC1-II. The mid-infrared luminosity for CB54YC1-II was found to be L_(midir) ≈ 8 L_⊙, and we estimate a central source mass of M_* ≈ 0.8 M_⊙ (for a mass accretion rate of M = 10^(-6) M yr^(-1)). CB54 harbors another near-infrared source (CB54YC1-I), which was not detected by our observations. The nondetection is consistent with CB54YC1-I being a highly extinguished embedded young A or B star or a background G or F giant. An alternative explanation for CB54YC1-I is that the source is an embedded protostar viewed at an extremely high inclination angle, and the near-infrared detections are not of the central protostar, but of light scattered by the accretion disk into our line of sight. In addition, we have discovered three new mid-infrared sources, which are spatially coincident with the previously known dense core in CB54. The source temperatures (~100 K) and association of the mid-infrared sources with the dense core suggests that these mid-infrared objects may be embedded class 0 protostars.

THE MULTIPLE PROTO STELLAR SYSTEM L1551 IRS5 AT 5 AU RESOLUTION

We present images of L1551 IRS5 at angular resolutions as high as <TEX>${\~}$</TEX>30 mas, corresponding to a spatial resolution of <TEX>${\~}$</TEX>5 AU, made at 7 mm with the VLA. Previously known to be a binary protostellar system, we show that L1551 IRS5 is likely a triple protostellar system. The primary and secondary components have a projected separation of <TEX>${\~}$</TEX>46 AU, whereas the tertiary component has a projected separation of <TEX>${\~}$</TEX>11 AU from the primary component. The circumstellar dust disks of the primary and secondary components have dimensions of <TEX>${\~}$</TEX>15 AU, whereas that of the tertiary component has a dimension of <TEX>${\~}$</TEX>10 AU. Their major axes are closely, but not perfectly, aligned with each other, as well as the major axis of the surrounding flattened, rotating, and contracting molecular condensation (pseudodisk). Furthermore, the orbital motion of the primary and secondary components is in the same direction as the rotational motion of this pseudodisk. We suggest that all three protostellar components formed as a result of the fragmentation of the central region of the molecular pseudo disk. The primary and secondary components, but apparently not the tertiary component, each exhibits a bipolar ionized jet that is centered on and which emergers perpendicular to its associated dust disk. Neither jets are resolved along their base, implying that they are driven within a radial distance of <TEX>${\~}$</TEX>2.5 AU from their central protostars. Finally, we show evidence for what may be dusty matter streams feeding the two main protostellar components.