Observing the onset of outflow collimation in a massive protostar

DOI: 
10.1126/science.aaa7216
Publication date: 
03/04/2015
Main author: 
Carrasco-González C.
IAA authors: 
Anglada G.;Gómez J.F.
Authors: 
Carrasco-González C., Torrelles J.M., Cantó J., Curiel S., Surcis G., Vlemmings W.H.T., Van Langevelde H.J., Goddi C., Anglada G., Kim S.-W., Kim J.-S., Gómez J.F.
Journal: 
Science
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
348
Pages: 
114-117
Number: 
Abstract: 
The current paradigm of star formation through accretion disks, and magnetohydrodynamically driven gas ejections, predicts the development of collimated outflows, rather than expansion without any preferential direction. We present radio continuum observations of the massive protostar W75N(B)-VLA 2, showing that it is a thermal, collimated ionized wind and that it has evolved in 18 years from a compact source into an elongated one. This is consistent with the evolution of the associated expanding water-vapor maser shell, which changed from a nearly circular morphology, tracing an almost isotropic outflow, to an elliptical one outlining collimated motions. We model this behavior in terms of an episodic, short-lived, originally isotropic ionized wind whose morphology evolves as it moves within a toroidal density stratification.
Database: 
WOK
SCOPUS
ADS
SCOPUS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/2015Sci...348..114C/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
2015Sci...348..114C
Keywords: