Previous abstract Next abstract

Session 17 - Molecular Clouds and Star Formation.
Oral session, Monday, June 10
Humanities 2650,

[17.03] Bipolar Outflow Sources in the Serpens Core: SVS 2 and SVS 20

T. Huard, D. Weintraub (Vanderbilt U.), J. Kastner (MIT)

Polarimetric maps of the Serpens Reflection Nebula (SRN) were obtained at broadband H (1.65 \mum) and broadband K (2.20 \mum). In addition, a map of the SRN was made in the \nu=1\rightarrow0 S transition of molecular hydrogen. The polarization vector maps show centrosymmetric morphologies indicative of two evacuated, bipolar structures, one around the protostar SVS 2 and a second around the protostar SVS 20. Such bipolar structures suggest the presence of outflows. While the polarization disks are not visible in these maps, the position angles of the disks were inferred from the elliptically symmetric morphologies of the bipolar structures. Based on these polarization maps, we find that the orientations of the polar axes are 50^\circ \pm 5^\circ for SVS 2 and 150^\circ \pm 5^\circ for SVS 20. Three structures or ``knots'' are evident in the narrowband H_2 image of the SRN. These knots are located along the polar axes of SVS 2 and SVS 20. The association of these knots with the polar axes orientations strongly suggests that both of these protostars are sources of outflows within the SRN.

Program listing for Monday