2,514 research outputs found
A parsec-scale flow associated with the IRAS 16547-4247 radio jet
IRAS 16547-4247 is the most luminous (6.2 x 10^4 Lsun) embedded young stellar
object known to harbor a thermal radio jet. We report the discovery using
VLT-ISAAC of a chain of H_2 2.12 um emission knots that trace a collimated flow
extending over 1.5 pc. The alignment of the H_2 flow and the central location
of the radio jet implies that these phenomena are intimately linked. We have
also detected using TIMMI2 an isolated, unresolved 12 um infrared source
towards the radio jet . Our findings affirm that IRAS 16547-4247 is excited by
a single O-type star that is driving a collimated jet. We argue that the
accretion mechanism which produces jets in low-mass star formation also
operates in the higher mass regime.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJL, 10 pages, 2 figure
Cleaning up Eta Carinae: Detection of Ammonia in the Homunculus
We report the first detection of ammonia in the Homunculus nebula around eta
Carinae, which is also the first detection of emission from a polyatomic
molecule in this or any other luminous blue variable (LBV) nebula. Observations
of the NH3 (J,K)=(3,3) inversion transition made with the Australia Telescope
Compact Array reveal emission at locations where infrared H2 emission had been
detected previously, near the strongest dust emission in the core of the
Homunculus. We also detect ammonia emission from the so-called ``strontium
filament'' in the equatorial disk. The presence of NH3 around eta Car hints
that molecular shells around some Wolf-Rayet stars could have originated in
prior LBV eruptions, rather than in cool red supergiant winds or the ambient
interstellar medium. Combined with the lack of any CO detection, NH3 seems to
suggest that the Homunculus is nitrogen rich like the ionized ejecta around eta
Car. It also indicates that the Homunculus is a unique laboratory in which to
study unusual molecule and dust chemistry, as well as their rapid formation in
a nitrogen-rich environment around a hot star. We encourage future observations
of other transitions like NH3 (1,1) and (2,2), related molecules like N2H+, and
renewed attempts to detect CO.Comment: 4 pages, accepted to ApJ letter
High Angular Resolution Observations of the Collimated Jet Source Associated with a Massive Protostar in IRAS 16547-4247
A triple radio source recently detected in association with the luminous
infrared source IRAS 16547-4247 has been studied with high angular resolution
and high sensitivity with the Very Large Array at 3.6 and 2 cm. Our
observations confirm the interpretation that the central object is a thermal
radio jet, while the two outer lobes are most probably heavily obscured HH
objects. The thermal radio jet is resolved angularly for the first time and
found to align closely with the outer lobes. The opening angle of the thermal
jet is estimated to be , confirming that collimated outflows can
also be present in massive protostars. The proper motions of the outer lobes
should be measurable over timescales of a few years. Several fainter sources
detected in the region are most probably associated with other stars in a young
cluster.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure
The Carina Nebula and Gum 31 molecular complex: II. The distribution of the atomic gas revealed in unprecedented detail
We report high spatial resolution observations of the HI 21cm line in the
Carina Nebula and the Gum 31 region obtained with the Australia Telescope
Compact Array. The observations covered 12 deg centred on , achieving an angular resolution of 35
arcseconds. The HI map revealed complex filamentary structures across a wide
range of velocities. Several "bubbles" are clearly identified in the Carina
Nebula Complex, produced by the impact of the massive star clusters located in
this region. An HI absorption profile obtained towards the strong extragalactic
radio source PMN J1032--5917 showed the distribution of the cold component of
the atomic gas along the Galactic disk, with the Sagittarius-Carina and Perseus
spiral arms clearly distinguishable. Preliminary calculations of the optical
depth and spin temperatures of the cold atomic gas show that the HI line is
opaque ( 2) at several velocities in the Sagittarius-Carina
spiral arm. The spin temperature is K in the regions with the highest
optical depth, although this value might be lower for the saturated components.
The atomic mass budget of Gum 31 is of the total gas mass. HI self
absorption features have molecular counterparts and good spatial correlation
with the regions of cold dust as traced by the infrared maps. We suggest that
in Gum 31 regions of cold temperature and high density are where the atomic to
molecular gas phase transition is likely to be occurring.Comment: 20 pages, 1 table, 16 Figures, Accepted for Publication in the
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Journa
Search for ionized jets towards high-mass young stellar objects
We are carrying out multi-frequency radio continuum observations, using the
Australia Telescope Compact Array, to systematically search for collimated
ionized jets towards high-mass young stellar objects (HMYSOs). Here we report
observations at 1.4, 2.4, 4.8 and 8.6 GHz, made with angular resolutions of
about 7, 4, 2, and 1 arcsec, respectively, towards six objects of a sample of
33 southern HMYSOs thought to be in very early stages of evolution. The objects
in the sample were selected from radio and infrared catalogs by having positive
radio spectral indices and being luminous (L_bol > 20,000 L_sun), but
underluminous in radio emission compared to that expected from its bolometric
luminosity. This criteria makes the radio sources good candidates for being
ionized jets. As part of this systematic search, two ionized jets have been
discovered: one previously published and the other reported here. The rest of
the observed candidates correspond to three hypercompact hii regions and two
ultracompact hii regions. The two jets discovered are associated with two of
the most luminous (70,000 and 100,000 Lsun) HMYSOs known to harbor this type of
objects, showing that the phenomena of collimated ionized winds appears in the
formation process of stars at least up to masses of ~ 20 M_sun and provides
strong evidence for a disk-mediated accretion scenario for the formation of
high-mass stars. From the incidence of jets in our sample, we estimate that the
jet phase in high-mass protostars lasts for 40,000 yr.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. (53 pages, 22
Figures) (Color figures were degraded to comply with arXiv requirements
A multiwavelength study of young massive star forming regions: II. The dust environment
We present observations of 1.2-mm dust continuum emission, made with the
Swedish ESO Submillimeter Telescope, towards eighteen luminous IRAS point
sources, all with colors typical of compact HII regions and associated with
CS(2-1) emission, thought to be representative of young massive star forming
regions. Emission was detected toward all the IRAS objects. We find that the
1.2-mm sources associated with them have distinct physical parameters, namely
sizes of 0.4 pc, dust temperatures of 30 K, masses of 2x10^3 Msun, column
densities of 3x10^23 cm^-2, and densities of 4x10^5 cm^-3. We refer to these
dust structures as massive and dense cores. Most of the 1.2-mm sources show
single-peaked structures, several of which exhibit a bright compact peak
surrounded by a weaker extended envelope. The observed radial intensity
profiles of sources with this type of morphology are well fitted with power-law
intensity profiles with power-law indices in the range 1.0-1.7. This result
indicates that massive and dense cores are centrally condensed, having radial
density profiles with power-law indices in the range 1.5-2.2. We also find that
the UC HII regions detected with ATCA towards the IRAS sources investigated
here (Paper I) are usually projected at the peak position of the 1.2-mm dust
continuum emission, suggesting that massive stars are formed at the center of
the centrally condensed massive and dense cores.Comment: 6 figures, accepted by Ap
A Pilot Survey for the HO Southern Galactic Plane Survey (HOPS)
We describe observations with the Mopra radiotelescope designed to assess the
feasibility of the HO maser southern Galactic plane survey (HOPS). We
mapped two one-square-degree regions along the Galactic plane using the new 12
mm receiver and the UNSW Mopra spectrometer (MOPS). We covered the entire
spectrum between 19.5 and 27.5 GHz using this setup with the main aims of
finding out which spectral lines can be detected with a quick mapping survey.
We report on detected emission from HO masers, NH inversion transitions
(1,1), (2,2) and (3,3), HCN (3-2), as well as several radio recombination
lines.Comment: accepted by PAS
Recommended from our members
The Collimated Jet Source in IRAS 16547-4247: Time Variation, Possible Precession, and Upper Limits to the Proper Motions along the Jet Axis
The triple radio source detected in association with the luminous infrared source IRAS 16547-4247 has previously been studied with high angular resolution and high sensitivity with the Very Large Array at 3.6 cm wavelength. In this paper, we present new 3.6 cm observations taken 2.68 years after the first epoch that allow a search for variability and proper motions, as well as the detection of additional faint sources in the region. We do not detect proper motions along the axis of the outflow in the outer lobes of this source at a 4σ upper limit of ~160 . This suggests that these lobes are probably working surfaces where the jet is interacting with a denser medium. However, the brightest components of the lobes show evidence of precession, at a rate of clockwise in the plane of the sky. It may be possible to understand the distribution of almost all the identified sources as the result of ejecta from a precessing jet. The core of the thermal jet shows significant variations in flux density and morphology. We compare this source with other jets in low- and high-mass young stars and suggest that the latter can be understood as a scaled-up version of the former.Astronom
Characteristics Contributing to Nebraska Farm and Ranch Financial Stress
Significant financial changes have been underway in the U.S. agricultural system. After a decade of increases in crop and livestock prices mirrored by corresponding increases in expenses, prices began declining dramatically in 2014 (USDA-NASS, 2017). Figure 1 shows yearly net farm income for Nebraska crop and livestock producers from 2000 to 2015 (USDA, ERS). A survey in July 2016 indicated that 52 percent of Nebraska farmers and ranchers were financially stressed
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