arXiv subjects

Tyler L. Bourke

Publications and source records attributed to Tyler L. Bourke.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

L1448 IRS2E: A candidate first hydrostatic core

Intermediate between the prestellar and Class 0 protostellar phases, the first core is a quasi-equilibrium hydrostatic object with a short lifetime and an extremely low luminosity. Recent MHD simulations suggest that the first core can even drive a molecular outflow before the formation of the second core (i.e., protostar). Using the Submillimeter Array and the Spitzer Space Telescope, we present high angular resolution observations towards the embedded dense core IRS2E in L1448. We find that source L1448 IRS2E is not visible in the sensitive Spitzer infrared images (at wavelengths from 3.6 to 70 um), and has weak (sub-)millimeter dust continuum emission. Consequently, this source has an extremely low bolometric luminosity (< 0.1 L_sun). Infrared and (sub-)millimeter observations clearly show an outflow emanating from this source; L1448 IRS2E represents thus far the lowest luminosity source known to be driving a molecular outflow. Comparisons with prestellar cores and Class 0 protostars suggest that L1448 IRS2E is more evolved than prestellar cores but less evolved than Class 0 protostars, i.e., at a stage intermediate between prestellar cores and Class 0 protostars. All these results are consistent with the theoretical predictions of the radiative/magneto hydrodynamical simulations, making L1448 IRS2E the most promising candidate of the first hydrostatic core revealed so far.

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arXiv2010

Grain growth across protoplanetary discs: 10-micron silicate feature versus millimetre slope

Young stars are formed within dusty discs. The grains in the disc are originally of the same size as interstellar dust. Models predict that these grains will grow in size through coagulation. Observations of the silicate features at micron wavelengths are consistent with growth to micron sizes whereas the slope of the SED at longer wavelengths traces growth up to mm sizes. We here look for a correlation between these two grain growth indicators. A large sample of T-Tauri and Herbig-Ae/Be stars was observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope at 5-13 micron; a subsample was observed at mm wavelengths. We complement this subsample with data from the literature to maximise the overlap between micron and mm observations and search for correlations. Synthetic spectra are produced to determine which processes may produce the dust evolution. Dust disc masses in the range <1 to 7 x 10^-4 MSun are obtained. Most sources have a mm spectral slope consistent with grain growth. There is a tentative correlation between the 10-micron silicate feature and the mm slope of the SED. The observed sources seem to be grouped per star-forming region in the micron-vs-mm diagram. The modelling results show that the 10-micron feature becomes flatter and subsequently the mm slope becomes shallower. Grain size distributions shallower than that of the ISM and/or bright central stars are required to explain specific features. Settling of larger grains towards the disc midplane affects the 10-micron feature, but hardly the mm slope. The tentative correlation between the strength of the 10-micron feature and the mm slope suggests that the inner and outer disc evolve simultaneously. Dust with a mass dominated by mm-sized grains is required to explain the shallowest mm slopes. Other processes besides grain growth may also be responsible for the removal of small grains.

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arXiv2009

The Spitzer c2d Survey of Nearby Dense Cores: Jet and Molecular Outflow Associated with a YSO in core A of L1251

A long infrared jet has been discovered by the Spitzer c2d legacy program in core A of L1251. It is associated with a very embedded Class 0 object with an accretion luminosity of about 0.9 Lsun derived by radiative transfer model fitting to the observed SED. Comparing the observed IRAC colors along the infrared jet with those calculated from a model of an admixture of gas with a power-law temperature distribution indicates that the jet is possibly created by a paraboloidal bow shock propagating into the ambient medium of n(H_2)=10^5 cm^{-3}. In addition, the variation of the power-law index along the jet suggests that the portion of hot gas decreases with distance from the jet engine. The molecular outflow in this region has been mapped for the first time using CO data. From the calculated outflow momentum flux, a very strong lower limit to the average accretion luminosity is 3.6 sin i/cos^3 i Lsun, indicative of a decrease in the accretion rate with time.

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arXiv2009

The Spitzer c2d Survey of Nearby Dense Cores VII: Chemistry and Dynamics in L43

We present results from the Spitzer Space Telescope and molecular line observations of 9 species toward the dark cloud L43. The Spitzer images and molecular line maps suggest it has a starless core and a Class I protostar evolving in the same environment. CO depletion is seen in both sources, and DCO+ lines are stronger toward the starless core. With a goal of testing the chemical characteristics from pre- to protostellar stages, we adopt an evolutionary chemical model to calculate the molecular abundances and compare with our observations. Among the different model parameters we tested, the best-fit model suggests a longer total timescale at the pre-protostellar stage, but with faster evolution at the later steps with higher densities.

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arXiv2009

PROSAC: A Submillimeter Array survey of low-mass protostars. II. The mass evolution of envelopes, disks, and stars from the Class 0 through I stages

The key question about early protostellar evolution is how matter is accreted from the large-scale molecular cloud, through the circumstellar disk onto the central star. A sample of 20 Class 0 and I protostars has been observed in continuum at (sub)millimeter wavelengths at high angular resolution with the Submillimeter Array. Using detailed dust radiative transfer models, we have developed a framework for disentangling the continuum emission from the envelopes and disks, and from that estimated their masses. For the Class I sources in the sample, HCO+ 3-2 line emission has furthermore been observed with the Submillimeter Array. Four of these sources show signs of Keplerian rotation, constraining the masses of the central stars. Both Class 0 and I protostars are surrounded by disks with typical masses of about 0.05 M_sun. No evidence is found for a correlation between the disk mass and evolutionary stage of the young stellar objects. This contrasts the envelope mass, which decreases sharply from 1 M_sun in the Class 0 stage to <0.1 M_sun in the Class I stage. Typically, the disks have masses that are 1-10% of the corresponding envelope masses in the Class 0 stage and 20-60% in the Class I stage. For the Class I sources for which Keplerian rotation is seen, the central stars contain 70-98% of the total mass in the star-disk-envelope system, confirming that these objects are late in their evolution through the embedded protostellar stages. Theoretical models tend to overestimate the disk masses relative to the stellar masses in the late Class I stage. The results argue in favor of a picture in which circumstellar disks are formed early during the protostellar evolution and rapidly process material accreted from the larger scale envelope onto the central star.

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arXiv2009

The Spitzer c2d Survey of Nearby Dense Cores: VI. The Protostars of Lynds Dark Nebula 1221

Observations of Lynds Dark Nebula 1221 from the Spitzer Space Telescope are presented. These data show three candidate protostars towards L1221, only two of which were previously known. The infrared observations also show signatures of outflowing material, an interpretation which is also supported by radio observations with the Very Large Array. In addition, molecular line maps from the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory are shown. One-dimensional dust continuum modelling of two of these protostars, IRS1 and IRS3, is described. These models show two distinctly different protostars forming in very similar environments. IRS1 shows a higher luminosity and larger inner radius of the envelope than IRS3. The disparity could be caused by a difference in age or mass, orientation of outflow cavities, or the impact of a binary in the IRS1 core.

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arXiv2009

Multidimensional chemical modelling, II. Irradiated outflow walls

Observations of the high-mass star forming region AFGL 2591 reveal a large abundance of CO+, a molecule known to be enhanced by far UV (FUV) and X-ray irradiation. In chemical models assuming a spherically symmetric envelope, the volume of gas irradiated by protostellar FUV radiation is very small due to the high extinction by dust. The abundance of CO+ is thus underpredicted by orders of magnitude. In a more realistic model, FUV photons can escape through an outflow region and irradiate gas at the border to the envelope. Thus, we introduce the first 2D axi-symmetric chemical model of the envelope of a high-mass star forming region to explain the CO+ observations as a prototypical FUV tracer. The model assumes an axi-symmetric power-law density structure with a cavity due to the outflow. The local FUV flux is calculated by a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code taking scattering on dust into account. A grid of precalculated chemical abundances, introduced in the first part of this series of papers, is used to quickly interpolate chemical abundances. This approach allows to calculate the temperature structure of the FUV heated outflow walls self-consistently with the chemistry. Synthetic maps of the line flux are calculated using a raytracer code. Single-dish and interferometric observations are simulated and the model results are compared to published and new JCMT and SMA observations. The two-dimensional model of AFGL 2591 is able to reproduce the JCMT single-dish observations and also explains the non-detection by the SMA. We conclude that the observed CO+ line flux and its narrow width can be interpreted by emission from the warm and dense outflow walls irradiated by protostellar FUV radiation.

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arXiv2009

Rotation and Outflow motions in the very low-mass Class 0 protostellar system HH 211 at subarcsecond resolution

HH 211 is a nearby young protostellar system with a highly collimated jet. We have mapped it in 352 GHz continuum, SiO (J=8-7), and HCO+ (J=4-3) emission at up to ~ 0.2" resolution with the Submillimeter Array (SMA). The continuum source is now resolved into two sources, SMM1 and SMM2, with a separation of ~ 84 AU. SMM1 is seen at the center of the jet, probably tracing a (inner) dusty disk around the protostar driving the jet. SMM2 is seen to the southwest of SMM1 and may trace an envelope-disk around a small binary companion. A flattened envelope-disk is seen in HCO+ around SMM1 with a radius of ~ 80 AU perpendicular to the jet axis. Its velocity structure is consistent with a rotation motion and can be fitted with a Keplerian law that yields a mass of ~ 50+-15 Jupiter mass (a mass of a brown dwarf) for the protostar. Thus, the protostar could be the lowest mass source known to have a collimated jet and a rotating flattened envelope-disk. A small-scale (~ 200 AU) low-speed (~ 2 km/s) outflow is seen in HCOP+ around the jet axis extending from the envelope-disk. It seems to rotate in the same direction as the envelope-disk and may carry away part of the angular momentum from the envelope-disk. The jet is seen in SiO close to ~ 100 AU from SMM1. It is seen with a "C-shaped" bending. It has a transverse width of <~ 40 AU and a velocity of ~ 170+-60 km/s. A possible velocity gradient is seen consistently across its innermost pair of knots, with ~ 0.5 km/s at ~ 10 AU, consistent with the sense of rotation of the envelope-disk. If this gradient is an upper limit of the true rotational gradient of the jet, then the jet carries away a very small amount of angular momentum of ~ 5 AU km/s and thus must be launched from the very inner edge of the disk near the corotation radius.

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arXiv2009

The Spitzer survey of interstellar clouds in the Gould Belt. II. The Cepheus Flare observed with IRAC and MIPS

We present Spitzer IRAC (~2 deg^2) and MIPS (~8 deg^2) observations of the Cepheus Flare which is associated with the Gould Belt, at an approximate distance of ~300 pc. Around 6500 sources are detected in all four IRAC bands, of which ~900 have MIPS 24 micron detections. We identify 133 YSO candidates using color-magnitude diagram techniques, a large number of the YSO candidates are associated with the NGC 7023 reflection nebula. Cross identifications were made with the Guide Star Catalog II and the IRAS Faint Source Catalog, and spectral energy distributions (SED) were constructed. SED modeling was conducted to estimate the degree of infrared excess. It was found that a large majority of disks were optically thick accreting disks, suggesting that there has been little disk evolution in these sources. Nearest-neighbor clustering analysis identified four small protostellar groups (L1228, L1228N, L1251A, and L1251B) with 5-15 members each and the larger NGC 7023 association with 32 YSO members. The star formation efficiency for cores with clusters of protostars and for those without clusters was found to be ~8% and ~1% respectively. The cores L1155, L1241, and L1247 are confirmed to be starless down to our luminosity limit of L_bol=0.06 L_sol.

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arXiv2008

The Spitzer c2d Survey of Nearby Dense Cores. V. Discovery of a VeLLO in the "Starless" Dense Core L328

This paper reports the discovery of a Very Low Luminosity Object (VeLLO) in the "starless" dense core L328, using the Spitzer Space Telescope and ground based observations from near-infrared to millimeter wavelengths. The Spitzer 8 micron image indicates that L328 consists of three subcores of which the smallest one may harbor a source, L328-IRS while two other subcores remain starless. L328-IRS is a Class 0 protostar according to its bolometric temperature (44 K) and the high fraction ~72 % of its luminosity emitted at sub-millimeter wavelengths. Its inferred "internal luminosity" (0.04 - 0.06 Lsun) using a radiative transfer model under the most plausible assumption of its distance as 200 pc is much fainter than for a typical protostar, and even fainter than other VeLLOs studied previously. Note, however, that its inferred luminosity may be uncertain by a factor of 2-3 if we consider two extreme values of the distance of L328-IRS (125 or 310 pc). Low angular resolution observations of CO do not show any clear evidence of a molecular outflow activity. But broad line widths toward L328, and Spitzer and near-infrared images showing nebulosity possibly tracing an outflow cavity, strongly suggest the existence of outflow activity. Provided that an envelope of at most ~0.1 Msunis the only mass accretion reservoir for L328-IRS, and the star formation efficiency is close to the canonical value ~30%, L328-IRS has not yet accreted more than 0.05 Msun. At the assumed distance of 200 pc, L328-IRS is destined to be a brown dwarf.

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arXiv2008

Spitzer Observations of L429: A Near-collapse or Collapsing Starless Core

We present Spitzer infrared observations of the starless core L429. The IR images of this core show an absorption feature, caused by the dense core material, at wavelengths <= 70 micron. The core has a steep density profile, and reaches A_V > 35 mag near the center. We show that L429 is either collapsing or in a near-collapse state.

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arXiv2008

SMA CO(2-1) Observations of CG30: A Protostellar Binary System with a High-Velocity Quadrupolar Molecular Outflow

We present interferometric observations in the 12CO (2-1) line and at 1.3 mm dust continuum of the low-mass protostellar binary system in the cometary globule CG30, using the Submillimeter Array. The dust continuum images resolve two compact sources (CG30N and CG30S), with a linear separation of ~8700 AU and total gas masses of ~1.4 and ~0.6 M_sun, respectively. With the CO images, we discover two high-velocity bipolar molecular outflows, driven by the two sources. The two outflows are nearly perpendicular to each other, showing a quadrupolar morphology. The northern bipolar outflow extends along the southeast (redshifted, with a velocity up to ~23 km/s) and northwest (blueshifted, velocity up to ~30 km/s) directions, while the southern pair has an orientation from southwest (blueshifted, velocity up to 13 km/s) to northeast (redshifted, velocity up to ~41 km/s). The outflow mass of the northern pair, driven by the higher mass source CG30N, is ~9 times larger than that of the southern pair. The discovery of the quadrupolar molecular outflow in the CG30 protobinary system, as well as the presence of other quadrupolar outflows associated with binary systems, demonstrate that the disks in (wide) binary systems are not necessarily co-aligned after fragmentation.

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arXiv2008

The Embedded Massive Star Forming Region RCW 38

RCW~38 is a uniquely young ($<$1 Myr), embedded ($A_V \sim 10$) stellar cluster surrounding a pair of early O stars ($\sim$O5.5) and is one of the few regions within 2 kpc other than Orion to contain over 1000 members. X-ray and deep near-infrared observations reveal a dense cluster with over 200 X-ray sources and 400 infrared sources embedded in a diffuse hot plasma within a 1 pc diameter. The central O star has evacuated its immediate surroundings of dust, creating a wind bubble $\sim$0.1 pc in radius that is confined by the surrounding molecular cloud, as traced by millimeter continuum and molecular line emission. The interface between the bubble and cloud is a region of warm dust and ionized gas, which shows evidence for ongoing star formation. Extended warm dust is found throughout a 2--3 pc region and coincides with extended X-ray plasma. This is evidence that the influence of the massive stars reaches beyond the confines of the O star bubble. RCW~38 appears similar in structure to RCW~49 and M~20 but is at an earlier evolutionary phase. RCW~38 appears to be a blister compact H{\small II} region lying just inside the edge of a giant molecular cloud.

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arXiv2008

Identifying the Low Luminosity Population of Embedded Protostars in the c2d Observations of Clouds and Cores

We present a search for all embedded protostars with internal luminosities < 1 solar luminosity in the sample of nearby, low-mass star-forming regions surveyed by the Spitzer Space Telescope c2d Legacy Project. The internal luminosity (Lint) of a source is the luminosity of the central source and excludes luminosity arising from external heating. On average, the c2d data are sensitive to embedded protostars with Lint > 4E-3 (d/140 pc)^2 solar luminosities, a factor of 25 better than the sensitivity of IRAS to such objects. We present selection criteria used to identify candidates from the Spitzer data and examine complementary data to decide whether each candidate is truly an embedded protostar. We find a tight correlation between the 70 micron flux and internal luminosity of a protostar, an empirical result based on observations and two-dimensional radiative transfer models of protostars. We identify 50 embedded protostars with Lint < 1 solar luminosities; 15 have Lint < 0.1 solar luminosities. The intrinsic distribution of source luminosities increases to lower luminosities. While we find sources down to the above sensitivity limit, indicating that the distribution may extend to luminosities lower than probed by these observations, we are able to rule out a continued rise in the distribution below 0.1 solar luminosities. Between 75-85% of cores classified as starless prior to being observed by Spitzer remain starless to our luminosity sensitivity; the remaining 15-25% harbor low-luminosity, embedded protostars. We compile complete Spectral Energy Distributions for all 50 objects and calculate standard evolutionary signatures, and argue that these objects are inconsistent with the simplest picture of star formation wherein mass accretes from the core onto the protostar at a constant rate.

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arXiv2008

MAMBO Mapping of Spitzer c2d Small Clouds and Cores

AIMS: To study the structure of nearby (< 500 pc) dense starless and star-forming cores with the particular goal to identify and understand evolutionary trends in core properties, and to explore the nature of Very Low Luminosity Objects (< 0.1 L_sun; VeLLOs). METHODS: Using the MAMBO bolometer array, we create maps unusually sensitive to faint (few mJy per beam) extended (approx. 5 arcmin) thermal dust continuum emission at 1.2 mm wavelength. Complementary information on embedded stars is obtained from Spitzer, IRAS, and 2MASS. RESULTS: Our maps are very rich in structure, and we characterize extended emission features (``subcores'') and compact intensity peaks in our data separately to pay attention to this complexity. We derive, e.g., sizes, masses, and aspect ratios for the subcores, as well as column densities and related properties for the peaks. Combination with archival infrared data then enables the derivation of bolometric luminosities and temperatures, as well as envelope masses, for the young embedded stars. CONCLUSIONS: (abridged) Starless and star-forming cores occupy the same parameter space in many core properties; a picture of dense core evolution in which any dense core begins to actively form stars once it exceeds some fixed limit in, e.g., mass, density, or both, is inconsistent with our data. Comparison of various evolutionary indicators for young stellar objects in our sample (e.g., bolometric temperatures) reveals inconsistencies between some of them, possibly suggesting a revision of some of these indicators.

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arXiv2008

ATCA and Spitzer Observations of the Binary Protostellar Systems CG30 and BHR71

We present interferometric observations with resolution of ~3 arcsecs of the isolated, low-mass protostellar double cores CG30 and BHR71 in the N2$H+(1-0) line and at 3mm dust continuum, using the Australian Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The results are complemented by infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope. In CG30, the 3mm dust continuum images resolve two compact sources with a separation of ~21.7 arcsecs (~8700 AU). In BHR71, strong dust continuum emission is detected at the position of the mid-infrared source IRS1, while only weak emission is detected from the secondary mid-infrared source IRS2. Assuming optically thin 3mm dust continuum emission, we derive hydrogen gas masses of 0.05--2.1 $M_\odot$ for the four sub-cores. N2H+(1-0) line emission is detected in both CG30 and BHR71, and is spatially associated with the thermal dust continuum emission. We derive the velocity fields and find symmetric velocity gradients in both sources. Assuming that these gradients are due to core rotation, we estimate the specific angular momenta and ratios of rotational energy to gravitational energy for all cores. We also find that the N2H+ emission is strongly affected by the outflows, both in terms of entrainment and molecule destruction. $Spitzer$ images show the mid-infrared emission from all four sub-cores. All four sources appear to drive their own outflows. Based on the ATCA and $Spitzer$ observations, we construct spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and derive temperatures and luminosities for all cores. Based on the morphology and velocity structure, we suggest that the sub-cores in CG30 were formed by initial fragmentation of a filamentary prestellar core, while those in BHR71 could originate from rotational fragmentation of a single collapsing protostellar core.

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arXiv2007

X-ray and IR Point Source Identification and Characteristics in the Embedded, Massive Star-Forming Region RCW 108

We report on the results of an approximately 90 ks Chandra observation of a complex region that hosts multiple sites of recent and active star formation in ARA OB1a. The field is centered on the embedded cluster RCW 108-IR and includes and a large portion of the open cluster NGC 6193. We detect over 420 X-ray sources in the field and combined these data with deep near-IR, Spitzer/IRAC and MSX mid-IR data. We find about 360 of the X-ray sources have near--IR counterparts. We divide the region into 5 parts based on the X-ray point source characteristics and extended 8 micron emission. The most clearly defined regions are the central region - identified by embedded sources with high luminosities in the both the near-IR and X-ray as well as high X-ray temperatures (about 3 keV) and the eastern region - identified by low extinction and 1 keV X-ray temperatures. Other regions, identified by their directional relationship to RCW 108-IR are less uniform - representing combinations of the first two regions, independent star formation epochs, or both. Over 18% percent of the cluster members with over 100 counts exhibit flares. Overall about 50% of the stars appear to have optically thick disks when IRAC data are employed. The largest fraction of X-ray sources are best described as possessing some disk material via a more detailed extinction fitting. We estimate that the total number of pre--main sequence stars in the field is about 1600. Approximately 800 are confined to (1.1 pc) central region.

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arXiv2007

The CO Molecular Outflows of IRAS 16293-2422 Probed by the Submillimeter Array

We have mapped the proto-binary source IRAS 16293-2422 in CO 2-1, 13CO 2-1, and CO 3-2 with the Submillimeter Array (SMA). The maps with resolution of 1".5-5" reveal a single small scale (~3000 AU) bipolar molecular outflow along the east-west direction. We found that the blueshifted emission of this small scale outflow mainly extends to the east and the redshifted emission to the west from the position of IRAS 16293A. A comparison with the morphology of the large scale outflows previously observed by single-dish telescopes at millimeter wavelengths suggests that the small scale outflow may be the inner part of the large scale (~15000 AU) E-W outflow. On the other hand, there is no clear counterpart of the large scale NE-SW outflow in our SMA maps. Comparing analytical models to the data suggests that the morphology and kinematics of the small scale outflow can be explained by a wide-angle wind with an inclination angle of ~30-40 degrees with respect to the plane of the sky. The high resolution CO maps show that there are two compact, bright spots in the blueshifted velocity range. An LVG analysis shows that the one located 1" to the east of source A is extremely dense, n(H_2)~10^7 cm^-3, and warm, T_kin >55 K. The other one located 1" southeast of source B has a higher temperature of T_kin >65 K but slightly lower density of n(H_2)~10^6 cm^-3. It is likely that these bright spots are associated with the hot core-like emission observed toward IRAS 16293. Since both two bright spots are blueshifted from the systemic velocity and are offset from the protostellar positions, they are likely formed by shocks.

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