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M.W. Kunz (Dept. of Astronomy, University of Virginia), C.J. Chandler (NRAO, Socorro), L.J. Greenhill (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
The BN/KL region of Orion is the nearest region of on-going massive star formation, providing the highest possible spatial resolution. In particular, Source I (the radio counterpart to IRc2) is believed to be the origin of most of the far-infrared luminosity from the region, and drives both an equatorial low-velocity outflow and a conical high-velocity flow. SiO masers trace the outflows within 150 AU of the embedded protostar. We have recently begun a monthly monitoring program of these masers using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, in order to follow the dynamics of the outflows, and to search for evidence of angular momentum transfer to the circumstellar material during mass-loss. We will present a movie of the first 3 months worth of data, and a preliminary analysis of the outflow dynamics.
This research was supported by NSF grants towards the NRAO REU program.