Multiplicity of the HH 111 jet source: Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS images and VLA maps

We have observed the region around the HH 111 jet source with NICMOS onboar d the Hubble Space Telescope, using two filters, F160W and F205W, which bes ides stellar continuum transmit the [FeII] 1.64 mu m and H-2 2.12 mu m emis sion lines, respectively. The jet can now be traced to within 2.4 " of the VLA source. In the F205W filter we detect for the first time the driving so urce in the near-infrared as a faint and highly reddened star. Additionally , we detect in both filters a second source, called star B, about 3 " furth er west, which appears to contribute significantly to the illumination of t he blueshifted outflow cavity of the HH 111 jet. We present new 3.6 cm VLA maps, which show evidence that the HH 111 energy source drives a quadrupola r flow, suggesting that the source is a close binary with a projected separ ation of less than 0.1 " (50 AU). We also detect star B at 3.6 cm, demonstr ating that it is indeed a young star with its own (unresolved) signature of outflow. The two IR/VLA sources are located on either side of a highly opa que dust lane perpendicular to the HH 111 outflow axis, not inside it as on e would expect. We speculate that the VLA 1 binary and the VLA 2 source are at their present locations because they originally formed an unstable non- hierarchical triple system from which VLA 2 was ejected. Such dynamic proce sses may help to terminate the main accretion phase of the young stars invo lved.