arXiv subjects

Luis A. Zapata

Publications and source records attributed to Luis A. Zapata.

102 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2008

Resolving the Structure and Kinematics of the BN Object at $0\rlap.{"}2$ Resolution

We present sensitive 7 mm observations of the H53$α$ recombination line and adjacent continuum, made toward the Orion BN/KL region. In the continuum we detect the BN object, the radio source I (GMR I) and the radio counterpart of the infrared source n (Orion-n). Comparing with observations made at similar angular resolutions but lower frequency, we discuss the spectral indices and angular sizes of these sources. In the H53$α$ line we only detect the BN object. This is the first time that radio recombination lines are detected from this source. The LSR radial velocity of BN from the H53$α$ line, $v_{LSR} = 20.1 \pm 2.1$ km s$^{-1}$, is consistent with that found from previous studies in near-infared lines. While the continuum emission is expected to have considerable optical depth at 7 mm, the observed H53$α$ line emission is consistent with an optically-thin nature and we discuss possible explanations for this apparent discrepancy. There is evidence of a velocity gradient, with the NE part of BN being redshifted by $\sim 10$ km s$^{-1}$ with respect to the SW part. This is consistent with the suggestion of Jiang et al. that BN may be driving an ionized outflow along that direction.

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arXiv2008

An Extensive, Sensitive Search for SiO Masers in High- and Intermediate-Mass Star-Forming Regions

We present sensitive Very Large Array observations with an angular resolution of a few arcseconds of the $J= 1 - 0$ line of SiO in the $v$=1 and 2 vibrationally excited states toward a sample of 60 Galactic regions in which stars of high or intermediate mass are currently forming and/or have recently formed. We report the detection of SiO maser emission in \textit{both} vibrationally excited transitions toward only three very luminous regions: Orion-KL, W51N and Sgr B2(M). Toward all three, SiO maser emission had previously been reported, in Orion-KL in both lines, in W51N only in the $v=2$ line and in Sgr B2(M) only in the $v=1$ line. Our work confirms that SiO maser emission in star-forming regions is a rare phenomenon, indeed, that requires special, probably extreme, physical and chemical conditions not commonly found. In addition to this SiO maser survey, we also present images of the simultaneously observed 7 mm continuum emission from a subset of our sample of star-forming regions where such emission was detected. This is in most cases likely to be free-free emission from compact- and ultracompact-HII regions.

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arXiv2008

Unveiling a Compact Cluster of Massive and Young Stars in IRAS 17233-3606

We have analyzed sensitive high spatial resolution archival radio continuum data at 1.3, 2.0, 3.6 and 6.0 cm as well as the H2O maser molecular line data obtained using the Very Large Array (VLA) in its hybrid AB configuration toward the high-mass star-forming region IRAS 17233-3606 (G351.78-0.54). We find nine compact radio sources associated with this region, six of them are new radio detections. We discuss the characteristics of these sources based mostly on their spectral indices and find that most of them appear to be optically thin or thick ultra- and hyper-compact HII regions ionized by B ZAMS stars. Furthermore, in a few cases the radio emission may arise from optically thick dusty disks and/or cores, however more observations at different wavelengths are necessity to firmly confirm their true nature. In addition, we compared our centimeter maps with the mid-infrared images fromthe Spitzer Space Observatory GLIMPSE survey revealing a cluster of young protostars in the region together with multiple collimated outflows some of whom might be related with the compact centimeter objects.

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arXiv2007

Forming an Early O-type Star Through Gas Accretion?

We present high angular resolution ($\sim$ 3$''$) and sensitive 1.3 mm continuum, cyanogen (CN) and vinyl cyanide (C$_2$H$_3$CN) line observations made with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) toward one of most highly obscured objects of the W51 IRS2 region, W51 North. We find that the CN line exhibits a pronounced inverse P-Cygni profile indicating that the molecular gas is infalling inwards this object with a mass accretion rate between 4 and 7 $\times$ 10$^{-2}$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. The C$_2$H$_3$CN traces an east-west rotating molecular envelope that surrounds either a single obscured (proto)star with a kinematic mass of 40 M$_{\odot}$ or a small central cluster of B-type stars and that is associated with a compact high velocity bipolar outflow traced by H$_2$O masers and SiO molecular emission. We thus confirm that the W51 North region is part of the growing list of young massive star forming regions that have been associated with infalling motions and with large mass accretion rates ($\sim$ 10$^{-2}$ -- 10$^{-4}$), strengthening the evidence for massive stars forming with very high accretion rates sufficient to quench the formation of an UCHII region.

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arXiv2007

A dense micro-cluster of Class 0 protostars in NGC 2264 D-MM1

We present sensitive and high angular resolution (~1") 1.3 mm continuum observations of the dusty core D-MM1 in the Spokes cluster in NGC 2264 using the Submillimeter Array. A dense micro-cluster of seven Class 0 sources was detected in a 20" x 20" region with masses between 0.4 to 1.2 solar masses and deconvolved sizes of about 600 AU. We interpret the 1.3 mm emission as arising from the envelopes of the Class 0 protostellar sources. The mean separation of the 11 known sources (SMA Class 0 and previously known infrared sources) within D-MM1 is considerably smaller than the characteristic spacing between sources in the larger Spokes cluster and is consistent with hierarchical thermal fragmentation of the dense molecular gas in this region.

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arXiv2007

Circumbinary Molecular Rings Around Young Stars in Orion

We present high angular resolution 1.3 mm continuum, methyl cyanide molecular line, and 7 mm continuum observations made with the Submillimeter Array and the Very Large Array, toward the most highly obscured and southern part of the massive star forming region OMC1S located behind the Orion Nebula. We find two flattened and rotating molecular structures with sizes of a few hundred astronomical units suggestive of circumbinary molecular rings produced by the presence of two stars with very compact circumstellar disks with sizes and separations of about 50 AU, associated with the young stellar objects 139-409 and 134-411. Furthermore, these two circumbinary rotating rings are related to two compact and bright {\it hot molecular cores}. The dynamic mass of the binary systems obtained from our data are $\geq$ 4 M$_\odot$ for 139-409 and $\geq$ 0.5 M$_\odot$ for 134-411. This result supports the idea that intermediate-mass stars will form through {\it circumstellar disks} and jets/outflows, as the low mass stars do. Furthermore, when intermediate-mass stars are in multiple systems they seem to form a circumbinary ring similar to those seen in young, multiple low-mass systems (e.g., GG Tau and UY Aur).

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arXiv2007

Large Scale Flows from Orion-South

Multiple optical outflows are known to exist in the vicinity of the active star formation region called Orion-South (Orion-S). We have mapped the velocity of low ionization features in the brightest part of the Orion Nebula, including Orion-S, and imaged the entire nebula with the Hubble Space Telescope. These new data, combined with recent high resolution radio maps of outflows from the Orion-S region, allow us to trace the origin of the optical outflows. It is confirmed that HH 625 arises from the blueshifted lobe of the CO outflow from 136-359 in Orion-S while it is likely that HH 507 arises from the blueshifted lobe of the SiO outflow from the nearby source 135-356. It is likely that redshifted lobes are deflected within the photon dominated region behind the optical nebula. This leads to a possible identification of a new large shock to the southwest from Orion-S as being driven by the redshifted CO outflow arising from 137-408. The distant object HH 400 is seen to have two even further components and these all are probably linked to either HH 203, HH 204, or HH 528. Distant shocks on the west side of the nebula may be related to HH 269. The sources of multiple bright blueshifted Herbig-Haro objects (HH 202, HH 203, HH 204, HH 269, HH 528) remain unidentified, in spite of earlier claimed identifications. Some of this lack of identification may arise from the fact that deflection in radial velocity can also produce a change in direction in the plane of the sky. The best way to resolve this open question is through improved tangential velocities of low ionization features arising where the outflows first break out into the ionized nebula.

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arXiv2006

Compact Centimeter and Millimeter Sources in NGC 6334 I(N): OB Stars in the Making?

We present sensitive, high angular resolution 1.3 cm and 7 mm observations of the massive core NGC 6334 I(N), a region known to be undergoing massive star formation. At 1.3 cm we detect three sources, of which two had been previously detected at centimeter or millimeter wavelengths. At 7 mm we detect four sources. We suggest that three of these sources are subcomponents of the millimeter source SMA 1, that at these wavelengths is the dominant source in the region. The fourth 7 mm source appears to be associated with the relatively isolated source SMA 6. In all four 7 mm sources, the continuum emission is arising from structures of dimensions in the order of 1000 AU for which we estimate masses of order a few solar masses. We interpret these 7 mm sources as massive circumstellar disks that, however, surround stars or compact small stellar groups that at present have masses comparable to those of the disks but that may be accreting on their way to become massive stars.

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arXiv2006

Silicon Monoxide Observations Reveal a Cluster of Hidden Compact Outflows in the OMC1 South Region

We present high angular resolution ($2\rlap.{''}8 \times 1\rlap.{''}7$) SiO J=5$\to$4; $v=0$ line observations of the OMC1S region in the Orion Nebula made using the Submillimeter Array (SMA). We detect for the first time a cluster of four compact bipolar and monopolar outflows that show high, moderate and low velocity gas and appear to be energized by millimeter and infrared sources associated with this region. The SiO molecular outflows are compact ($<$ 3500 AU), and in most of the cases, they are located very close to their exciting sources. We thus propose that the SiO thermal emission is tracing the youngest and most highly excited parts of the outflows which cannot be detected by other molecules. Moreover, since the ambient cloud is weak in the SiO line emission, these observations can reveal flows that in other molecular transitions will be confused with the ambient velocity cloud emission. Analysis of their positional-velocity diagrams show that some components of these outflows may be driven by wide-angle winds very close to the exciting object. Finally, we find that some of these SiO outflows seem to be the base of powerful Herbig-Haro jets and large-scale molecular flows that emanate from a few arcseconds around this zone. In particular, we find a strongly excited SiO bipolar outflow with a P.A. of $\sim$ 100$^{\circ}$, that is likely energized by the luminous ($\sim$ 3 $\times$ 10$^3$ L$_{\odot}$) infrared protostar "B" and could be the base of the remarkable object HH269.

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arXiv2005

A Highly Collimated, Young and Fast CO(2-1) Outflow in OMC1 South

We present high angular resolution (~ 1''), sensitive CO(2-1) line observations of the region OMC1 South in the Orion Nebula made using the Submillimeter Array (SMA). We detect the CO(2-1) high velocity outflow that was first found by Rodriguez-Franco et al. (1999a) with the IRAM 30 m. Our observations resolve the outflow, whose velocity-integrated emission has a deconvolved width of 0.89'' \pm 0.06'' (490 AU) and a projected length of ~ 48'' (21,000 AU) with very high redshifted and blueshifted gas with velocities of about \pm 80 km/s. This outflow is among the most collimated (~ 3 degrees) and youngest outflows (600 yr) that have been reported. The data show that this collimated outflow has been blowing in the same direction during the last 600 yr. At high velocities, the CO(2-1) outflow traces an extremely collimated jet, while at lower velocities the CO emission traces an envelope possibly produced by entrainment of ambient gas. Furthermore, we also detect for the first time a millimeter wavelength continuum source possibly associated with a class I protostar that we suggest could be the possible exciting source for this collimated outflow. However, the bolometric luminosity of this source appears to be far too low to account for the powerful molecular outflow.

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arXiv2004

A Cluster of 1.3 cm Continuum Sources in OMC1 South

We present sensitive 1.3 cm radio continuum observations of the region OMC1 South (OMC-1S) in Orion using the Very Large Array in its B configuration. We detect eleven radio sources clustered in a $30{''} \times 30{''}$ region, of which only three had been detected previously at radio wavelengths in deep 3.6 cm observations. The eight new radio sources are compact ($θ_s \leq 0\rlap.{''}1$) and we set lower limits to their spectral indices, $α> 0.8 \pm 0.3$ (with $S_ν\propto ν^α$), that suggest that they may be optically-thick H II regions. However, one of the new sources exhibits significant circular polarization, indicating that gyrosynchrotron emission with large positive spectral indices may be an alternative explanation. Furthermore, we find that four other sources are associated with infrared sources of low bolometric luminosity that cannot drive an H II region. Finally, two of the sources previously detected at 3.6-cm are angularly resolved in the 1.3 cm image and their major axes have position angles that align well with large scale outflows emanating from OMC-1S. The radio source 143-353 has a major axis with a position angle consistent with those of the HH 202 and HH 528 flows, while the radio source 134-411 has a major axis with a position angle consistent with that of the low-velocity molecular outflow associated with the far-infrared source FIR~4.

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arXiv2004

Compact Radio Sources in Orion: New Detections, Time Variability, and Objects in OMC-1S

We present the analysis of four 3.6 cm radio continuum archival observations of Orion obtained using the Very Large Array in its A-configuration, with $0\rlap.{''}3$ angular resolution. The observations were made during the period 1994-1997. In a region of $4' \times 4'$, we detect a total of 77 compact radio sources. Of the total of detected sources, 54 are detected in one or more of the individual observations and 36 of these show time variability (by more than 30%) between the observed epochs. A deep image made from averaging all data shows an additional 23 faint sources, in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 mJy. Of the total of 77 sources, 39 are new centimeter detections. However, only 9 of the 77 sources do not have a previously reported counterpart at near-infrared, optical, or X-ray wavelengths. In particular, we detect three faint sources in the OMC-1S region that may be related to the sources that power the multiple outflows that emanate from this part of the Orion nebula. %We discuss the nature of these sources and its relation with the %near-infrared, optical, and X-ray objects in the region.

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