NEAR-INFRARED IMAGING IN H-2 OF MOLECULAR (CO) OUTFLOWS FROM YOUNG STARS

We have imaged several known molecular (CO) outflows in H-2 v = 1 - 0 S(1) and wide-band K in order to identify the molecular shocks associa ted with the acceleration of ambient gas by outflows from young stars. We detected Hz line emission in all the flows we observed: L 1151, VL A 1623, NGC 6334I, NGC 2264G, L 1641N and Haro 4 - 255. A comparison o f the H-2 data with CO outflow maps strongly suggests that ''prompt en trainment'' near the head of a collimated jet probably is the dominant mechanism for producing the CO outflows in these sources.