Arcsecond-resolution submillimeter HCN imaging of the binary protostar IRAS 16293-2422

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Shigehisa Takakuwa
  • Nagayoshi Ohashi
  • Tyler L. Bourke
  • Naomi Hirano
  • T. P.Ho Paul
  • Jørgensen, Jes Kristian
  • Y. I.Jehng Kuan
  • David J. Wilner
  • Sherry C.C. Yeh

With the Submillimeter Array (SMA) we have made high angular resolution (∼1″ = 160 AU ) observations of the protobinary system IRAS 16293-2422 in the HCN (4-3), HC15N (4-3), and 354.5 GHz continuum emission. The HCN (4-3) line was also observed using the JCMT to supply missing short-spacing information. The submillimeter continuum emission is detected from the individual binary components of source A in the southeast and source B in the northwest, with a separation of ∼5″. The optically thin HC 15N (4-3) emission taken with the SMA has revealed a compact (∼500 AU) flattened structure (P.A. = -16°) at source A. This compact structure shows a velocity gradient along the projected minor axis, which can be interpreted as an infalling gas motion. Our HCN image including the short-spacing information shows an extended (∼3000 AU ) circumbinary envelope, as well as the compact structure at source A. A toy model consisting of a flattened structure with radial infall toward a 1 M central star reproduces the HCN/HC15N position-velocity diagram along the minor axis of the HC15N emission. In the extended envelope there is also a northeast (blue) to southwest (red) velocity gradient across the binary alignment, which is likely to reflect gas motion in the swept-up dense gas associated with the molecular outflow from source A. Only a weak and narrow (∼2 km s-1) compact HC15N emission is associated with source B, where no clear molecular outflow is identified, suggesting the different evolutionary starges between sources A and B. Our study demonstrates the importance of adding short-spacing data to interferometer data in order to probe the detailed structure and kinematics of low-mass protostellar envelopes.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume662
Issue number1 I
Pages (from-to)431-442
Number of pages12
ISSN0004-637X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Jun 2007
Externally publishedYes

    Research areas

  • ISM: individual (IRAS 16293-2422), ISM: molecules, Stars: formation

ID: 234018448