Disks and Outflows in the Massive Protobinary System W3(OH)TW
Abstract
Sensitive and high angular resolution (~0farcs7) (sub)millimeter line and continuum observations of the massive star-forming region W3(OH) made with the Submillimeter Array are presented. We report the first detection of two bipolar outflows emanating from the young and massive "Turner-Welch" (TW) protobinary system detected through the emission of carbon monoxide. The outflows are massive (10 M sun), highly collimated (10°), and seem to be the extended molecular component of the strong radio jets and a 22 GHz maser water outflow energized also by the stars in the W3(OH)TW system. Observations of the 890 μm continuum emission and the thermal emission of CH3OH might suggest the presence of two rotating circumstellar-disk-like structures associated with the binary system. The disk-like structures have sizes of about 1500 AU, masses of a few M sun, and appear to energize the molecular outflows and radio jets. We estimate that the young stars feeding the outflows and surrounded by the massive disk-like structures may be of B-type.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1088/2041-8205/740/1/L19
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1108.4899
- Bibcode:
- 2011ApJ...740L..19Z
- Keywords:
-
- ISM: jets and outflows;
- ISM: individual objects: W3(H2O) W3(OH)TW W3(OH);
- stars: formation;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- Accepted to ApJL