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HOPS 383: AN OUTBURSTING CLASS 0 PROTOSTAR IN ORION

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal Letters
; ;  [1];  [2]; ;  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [8];  [9];  [10]
  1. Ritter Astrophysical Observatory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH (United States)
  2. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)
  3. Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, Caltech, Pasadena, CA (United States)
  4. Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Heidelberg (Germany)
  5. European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München (Germany)
  6. Instituto de Radio Astronomía Milimétrica, Granada (Spain)
  7. Leiden Observatory, Leiden (Netherlands)
  8. Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO (United States)
  9. National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ (United States)
  10. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)
We report the dramatic mid-infrared brightening between 2004 and 2006 of Herschel Orion Protostar Survey (HOPS) 383, a deeply embedded protostar adjacent to NGC 1977 in Orion. By 2008, the source became a factor of 35 brighter at 24 μm with a brightness increase also apparent at 4.5 μm. The outburst is also detected in the submillimeter by comparing APEX/SABOCA to SCUBA data, and a scattered-light nebula appeared in NEWFIRM K{sub s} imaging. The post-outburst spectral energy distribution indicates a Class 0 source with a dense envelope and a luminosity between 6 and 14 L{sub ⊙}. Post-outburst time-series mid- and far-infrared photometry show no long-term fading and variability at the 18% level between 2009 and 2012. HOPS 383 is the first outbursting Class 0 object discovered, pointing to the importance of episodic accretion at early stages in the star formation process. Its dramatic rise and lack of fading over a 6 year period hint that it may be similar to FU Ori outbursts, although the luminosity appears to be significantly smaller than the canonical luminosities of such objects.
DOE Contract Number:
;
OSTI ID:
22364255
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 800; ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English