The discovery based on GLIMPSE data of a protostar driving a bipolar outflow

• Published in: Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin) Vol. 540; p. A95
• Main Authors: Yuan, Jing-Hua, Li, Jin Zeng, Huang, Ya Fang, Hsia, Chih-Hao, Miao, Jingqi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Les Ulis EDP Sciences 01.04.2012
• Subjects: Astronomy; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; ISM: jets and outflows; stars: early-type; stars: formation; stars: protostars; ISM: jets and outflows; stars: protostars; Spectral energy distribution; Luminosity; Bipolar flow; Two color diagram; Massive stars; Protostars; stars: formation; Early type stars; Color excess; stars: early-type; Star formation; Jets; Spectral index; Infrared excess; Stellar systems
• ISSN: 0004-6361; 1432-0746
• DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201117858

We report the discovery based on GLIMPSE data of a proto-stellar system driving a bipolar outflow. The bipolar outflow closely resembles the shape of an hourglass in the infrared. The total luminosity of Ltotal = 5507   L⊙, derived from IRAS fluxes, indicates the ongoing formation of a massive star in this region. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of the driving source is fitted with an online SED fitting tool, which results in a spectral index of about 1.2. This, along with the presence of a bipolar outflow, suggests the detection of a Class I protostar. The driving source indicates prominent infrared excesses in color-color diagrams based on archived 2 MASS and GLIMPSE data, which is in line with an early evolutionary stage of the system.