Multiwavelength Observations of MWC 297: Constraints on Disk Inclination and Mass Outflow

MWC 297 is a young, early-type star driving an ionized outflow and surrounded by warm, entrained dust. Previous analyses of near- and mid-IR interferometric images suggest that the emission at these wavelengths arises from a compact accretion disk with a moderate (i < 40°) inclination. We have obtained 5-40 μm images of MWC 297 with FORCAST on SOFIA, as well as near-infrared spectra acquired with SpeX on the IRTF and radio data obtained with the VLA and BIMA, and supplemented these with archival data from Herschel/PACS and SPIRE. The FORCAST images, combined with the VLA data, indicate that the outflow lobes are aligned nearly north-south and are well separated. Simple geometrical modeling of the FORCAST images suggests that the disk driving the outflow has an inclination of 55° ± 5°, in disagreement with the results of the interferometric analyses. Analysis of the SpeX data, with a wind model, suggests the mass-loss rate is on the order of $6.0{\pm }_{1.7}^{3.7}\times {10}^{-7}{M}_{\odot }\,{\mathrm{yr}}^{-1}$ and the extinction to the source is ${A}_{V}\sim 8.1{\pm }_{1.5}^{2.5}$ mag. We have combined our data with values from the literature to generate the spectral energy distribution of the source from 0.35 μm to 6 cm and estimate the total luminosity. We find the total luminosity to be about 7900 L _⊙, if we include emission from an extended region around the star, only slightly below that expected for a B1.5V star. The reddening must be produced by dust along the line of sight, but distant from the star.