A cluster of young stellar objects in L1211

Citation
M. Tafalla et al., A cluster of young stellar objects in L1211, ASTRON ASTR, 348(2), 1999, pp. 479-486
Citations number
57
Categorie Soggetti
Space Sciences
Journal title
ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ISSN journal
00046361 → ACNP
Volume
348
Issue
2
Year of publication
1999
Pages
479 - 486
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-6361(199908)348:2<479:ACOYSO>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
We present millimeter continuum and line observations of a dense core in L1 211, a member of the Cepheus cloud complex. We find a small cluster of at l east 4 millimeter (mm) sources with no optical counterpart, but each associ ated with near infrared (NIR) diffuse emission. The strongest mm source has no NIR point-like counterpart, and constitutes a good candidate for a Clas s 0 object. The other mm objects seem associated with NIR sources and most likely belong to Class I, as also suggested by the spectral energy distribu tions derived from combining our mm data with IRAS HIRES fluxes. As evidenc ed by our line data, the mm sources are embedded in an elongated, turbulent core of about 150 M. of mass and 0.6 pc length. Two of the millimeter sour ces power bipolar molecular outflows, another signature of their extreme yo uth. The outflows are well resolved by our observations and seem to have un related orientations. The combination of millimeter sources and bipolar outflow emission indicate s that multiple star formation in L1211 has occurred during a short period of time (a few 10(5) yr). The lack of a noticeable enhancement in the numbe r of NIR sources suggests that the core has not had enough time to form a c luster, so we infer that L1211 is undergoing a first episode of star format ion.