Coeval But Separate Star Formation in NGC1333 IRAS4

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Session 49 -- Star Formation
Display presentation, Thursday, January 13, 9:30-6:45, Salons I/II Room (Crystal Gateway)

[49.03] Coeval But Separate Star Formation in NGC1333 IRAS4

Alwyn Wootten (NRAO), Jeffrey Mangum (U. of Arizona)

Sandell et al. (1991 ApJ 376, L17) noted the strong double submillimeter peaks in the southeastern portion of the NGC1333 molecular cloud. They speculated that the cold, compact and condensed objects IRAS4A and 4B were a protobinary system still in the accretion phase. To detail this picture, we have imaged the region in the (J,K)=(1,1) and (2,2) lines of NH$_3$ using the VLA. Extended (1,1) emission surrounds and joins the submillimeter sources. A spatially and kinematically distinct emission patch coincides with the unnamed submillimeter emission region to the northeast which we call 4C. Emission in the (2,2) line occurs over an extended region at and northward from IRAS4A, broadest at IRAS4A itself. Much more spatially compact, kinematically narrower emission occurs at IRAS4B. Narrowest emission occurs near 4C. At IRAS4A, the extended ammonia emission follows the pattern of the CO bipolar flow. A compact velocity structure of spatial extent 3"-6" covers 1-2 km s$^{-1}$ at IRAS4A and is oriented approximately orthogonally to the flow. A gravitational interpretation of this velocity structure suggests an encompassed mass of 0.2 to 1.5 $M_{\sun}$. At IRAS4B there is little evidence of extended ammonia emission such as might be associated with a flow.

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