121 research outputs found
Detection of Infall Signatures Towards Serpens SMM4
We present the detection of kinematic infall signatures towards the Class 0
protostellar system SMM4 in the Serpens cloud core. We have observed the dense
molecular gas towards the embedded source using millimeter and submillimeter
line transitions of density sensitive molecular tracers. High signal-to-noise
ratio maps obtained in HCO+ J=1-0, J=3-2, and J=4-3, and CS J=2-1 show the
blue-bulge infall signature. The blue-bulge infall signature can be observed in
the centroid velocity maps of protostellar objects when infall dominates over
rotation. The line profiles of HCO+ and CS exhibit the characteristic blue
asymmetric line profile signature consistent with infall. In addition, HCO+ and
CS optical depth profiles obtained using isotopic observations show a red
asymmetry also consistent with an infall interpretation. Using
three-dimensional radiative transfer models based on the rotating, collapse
model of Terebey, Shu and Cassen, we derive infall parameters of the source. To
determine the direction and orientation of molecular outflows in the larger
Serpens cluster, wide-field mapping of CO J=1-0 emission was also performed.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figures, to appear in Ap
The Enigmatic Radio Afterglow of GRB 991216
We present wide-band radio observations spanning from 1.4 GHz to 350 GHz of
the afterglow of GRB 991216, taken from 1 to 80 days after the burst. The
optical and X-ray afterglow of this burst were fairly typical and are explained
by a jet fireball. In contrast, the radio light curve is unusual in two
respects: (a) the radio light curve does not show the usual rise to maximum
flux on timescales of weeks and instead appears to be declining already on day
1 and (b) the power law indices show significant steepening from the radio
through the X-ray bands. We show that the standard fireball model, in which the
afterglow is from a forward shock, is unable to account for (b) and we conclude
that the bulk of the radio emission must arise from a different source. We
consider two models, neither of which can be ruled out with the existing data.
In the first (conventional) model, the early radio emission is attributed to
emission from the reverse shock as in the case of GRB 990123. We predict that
the prompt optical emission would have been as bright (or brighter) than 8th
magnitude. In the second (exotic) model, the radio emission originates from the
forward shock of an isotropically energetic fireball (10^54 erg) expanding into
a tenuous medium (10^-4 cm^-3). The resulting fireball would remain
relativistic for months and is potentially resolvable with VLBI techniques.
Finally, we note that the near-IR bump of the afterglow is similar to that seen
in GRB 971214 and no fireball model can explain this bump.Comment: ApJ, submitte
A Coordinated Radio Afterglow Program
We describe a ground-based effort to find and study afterglows at centimeter
and millimeter wavelengths. We have observed all well-localized gamma-ray
bursts in the Northern and Southern sky since BeppoSAX first started providing
rapid positions in early 1997. Of the 23 GRBs for which X-ray afterglows have
been detected, 10 have optical afterglows and 9 have radio afterglows. A
growing number of GRBs have both X-ray and radio afterglows but lack a
corresponding optical afterglow.Comment: To appear in Proc. of the 5th Huntsville Gamma-Ray Burst Symposium, 5
pages, LaTe
A Sub-millimeterwave ``Flare'' from GG Tau?
We have monitored the millimeter and submillimeter emission from the young
stellar object GG Tau, a T Tauri binary system surrounded by a massive
circumbinary disk. We find that between 1992 and 1994, the flux has increased
significantly at 800, 1100, and 1300 microns, resulting in a steepening of the
observed spectral energy distribution at those wavelengths. Such an increase
appears consistent with a modest increase in disk luminosity (a factor of two).
The increase in the effective disk temperature might arise from a slight change
in the disk heating processes. Alternatively, the flux increase may reflect a
sudden change in the underlying dust optical properties.Comment: 15 pages, AASTex v.4.0 format, four postscript figures, four tables,
to appear in The Astrophysical Journa
Multi-Generational Star Formation in L1551
The L1551 molecular cloud contains two small clusters of Class 0 and I
protostars, as well as a halo of more evolved Class II and III YSOs, indicating
a current and at least one past burst of star formation. We present here new,
sensitive maps of 850 and 450 um dust emission covering most of the L1551
cloud, new CO J=2-1 data of the molecular cloud, and a new, deep, optical image
of [SII] emission. No new Class 0/I YSOs were detected. Compact sub-millimetre
emitters are concentrated in two sub-clusters: IRS5 and L1551NE, and the
HL~Tauri group. Both stellar groups show significant extended emission and
outflow/jet activity. A jet, terminating at HH 265 and with a very weak
associated molecular outflow, may originate from LkHa 358, or from a binary
companion to another member of the HL Tauri group. Several Herbig Haro objects
associated with IRS5/NE were clearly detected in the sub-mm, as were faint
ridges of emission tracing outflow cavity walls. We confirm a large-scale
molecular outflow originating from NE parallel to that from IRS5, and suggest
that the "hollow shell" morphology is more likely due to two interacting
outflows. We confirm the presence of a prestellar core (L1551-MC) of mass 2-3
Mo north-west of IRS5. The next generation cluster may be forming in this core.
The L1551 cloud appears cometary in morphology, and appears to be illuminated
and eroded from the direction of Orion, perhaps explaining the multiple
episodes of star formation in this cloud. The full paper (including figures)
can be downloaded at http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/~gms/l1551/l1551-apj641.pdf, or
viewed at http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/~gms/l1551/.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, April 2006
(vol. 641). 27 pages, 17 figure
Discovery of Early Optical Emission from GRB 021211
We report our discovery and early time optical, near-infrared, and radio
wavelength follow-up observations of the afterglow of the gamma-ray burst GRB
021211. Our optical observations, beginning 21 min after the burst trigger,
demonstrate that the early afterglow of this burst is roughly three magnitudes
fainter than the afterglow of GRB 990123 at similar epochs, and fainter than
almost all known afterglows at an epoch of 1d after the GRB. Our near-infrared
and optical observations indicate that this is not due to extinction. Combining
our observations with data reported by other groups, we identify the signature
of a reverse shock. This reverse shock is not detected to a 3-sigma limit of
110 uJy in an 8.46-GHz VLA observation at t=0.10d, implying either that the
Lorentz factor of the burst gamma <~ 200, or that synchrotron self-absorption
effects dominate the radio emission at this time. Our early optical
observations, near the peak of the optical afterglow (forward shock), allow us
to characterize the afterglow in detail. Comparing our model to flux upper
limits from the VLA at later times, t >~ 1 week, we find that the late-time
radio flux is suppressed by a factor of two relative to the >~ 80 uJy peak flux
at optical wavelengths. This suppression is not likely to be due to synchrotron
self-absorption or an early jet break, and we suggest instead that the burst
may have suffered substantial radiative corrections.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, ApJL accepted; edits for lengt
GRB 010222: A Burst within a Starburst
We present millimeter and submillimeter wavelength observations and near-infrared K -band imaging toward the bright gamma-ray burst GRB 010222. Over seven epochs the flux density of the source was constant wit h an average flux density 3.74 ± 0.53 mJy at 350 GHz and 1.05 ± 0.22 mJy at 250 GHz, giving a spectral index α = 3 . 78 ± 0.25 (where F∝ να). We rule out the possibility that this emission originated from the burst or its afterglow and we conclu de that it is due to a dusty, high redshift starburst galaxy (SMM J14522+43 01). We argue that the host galaxy of GRB 010222 is the most plausible count erpart of SMM J14522+4301, based in part on the centimeter detection of th e host at the expected level. The optical/NIR properties of the host galaxy of GR B 010222 suggest that it is a blue, sub-L∗, similar to other GRB host galaxies. This contrasts with the enormous far-infrared luminosity of this galaxy based on our submillimeter detection (LBol ≈ 4 × 1012L⊙). We suggest that this GRB host galaxy has a very high star formation rate, SFR ≈ 600 M⊙ yr−1, most of which is unseen at optical wavelengths
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