SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF THE HH 1/2 SYSTEM: THE DISCOVERY OF THE COUNTERJET
- Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
- Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ap. 70-543, 04510 D.F. (Mexico)
We present unpublished Spitzer IRAC observations of the HH 1/2 young stellar outflow processed with a high angular resolution deconvolution algorithm that produces subarcsecond ({approx}0.''6-0.''8) images. In the resulting mid-infrared images, the optically invisible counterjet is detected for the first time. The counterjet is approximately half as bright as the jet at 4.5 {mu}m (the IRAC band that best traces young stellar outflows) and has a length of {approx}10''. The NW optical jet itself can be followed back in the mid-IR to the position of the exciting VLA 1 source. An analysis of the IRAC colors indicates that the jet/counterjet emission is dominated by collisionally excited H{sub 2} pure rotational lines arising from a medium with a neutral hydrogen gas density of {approx}1000-2000 cm{sup -3} and a temperature of {approx} 1500 K. The observed jet/counterjet brightness asymmetry is consistent with an intrinsically symmetric outflow with extinction from a dense, circumstellar structure of {approx}6'' size (along the outflow axis), and with a mean visual extinction, A{sub V} {approx} 11 mag.
- OSTI ID:
- 22034530
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 750, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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