Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
May 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007a%26a...466..565s&link_type=abstract
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 466, Issue 2, May I 2007, pp.565-577
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
9
Ism: Jets And Outflows, Circumstellar Matter, Infrared: Ism, Herbig-Haro Objects, Stars: Formation
Scientific paper
The near-infrared twin jets emanating from the HH 212-mm protostar are remarkable for their symmetry. By performing integral field spectroscopy with the UIST imager-spectrometer on UKIRT, we investigate the chains of bright knots and arcs within the jets to gain insight into the underlying physics and dynamics. We obtain numerous images associated with line emission from vibrationally-excited molecular hydrogen and the [Fe II] line at 1.64 μm. This allows us to study the spatial variation in excitation of the inner knots and outer bow-shaped objects. We find that the excitation properties are consistent with outward-moving bow shocks close to the plane of the sky. However, there is a gradient in excitation transverse to the jet axis across the inner knots on the scale of 0.1 arcsec. This C-shaped inner symmetry suggests a transverse source motion rather than precession, possibly related to the jet bending and the transverse gradient in radial velocity. Moreover, the bow models predict that the iron emission should peak further ahead of the molecular emission than actually observed. This leads us to propose that each inner knot consists of two closely-spaced asymmetric bows, as found for the outer bows which clearly occur in distinct pairs, well-separated in a lower density environment. The weak inter-knot emission may then be generated within oblique shock waves resulting from the deflection of fluid across asymmetric bow flanks.
Tables [see full text]-[see full text] are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org
Davis Christopher J.
O'Connell Barry
Smith Masson D.
No associations
LandOfFree
The excitation within the molecular hydrogen jets of the protostellar outflow HH 212 does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The excitation within the molecular hydrogen jets of the protostellar outflow HH 212, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The excitation within the molecular hydrogen jets of the protostellar outflow HH 212 will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1027404