Bipolar outflow in the active region orion KL

The fine structure of the region of formation of a protostar in the dense molecular cloud OMC-1 of the Orion Nebula was studied during a period of enhanced activity in 1998–1999, with an angular resolution of 50 μas and a velocity resolution of Δv = 0.053 km/s. Inclusions of ice granules in the bipolar outflow were detected and identified. The velocity of the outflow reaches ∼50 km/s, while that of the granules is <5 km/s. The outflow sublimates and accelerates H₂O molecules, thereby exciting the maser emission. As a result, their relative velocity and, accordingly, pumping level decrease. The maser emission of the outflow is observed at distances out to ρ < 3 mas, or <1.5 AU. However, in the distant part (ρ > 5 mas), bullets corresponding to maser emission excited by the outflow in the surrounding medium are observed. The emission is amplified by the external medium at a velocity of v _LSR = 7.65 km/s in the bandwidth Δ _v ≈ 0.5 km/s. The sources of pumping are clusters of infrared sources. The bipolar outflow is inclined at a small angle to the plane of the sky. The acceleration of the maser inclusions also increases the longitudinal component of the velocity, reducing amplification of the emission. The brightness temperature of the components decreases: T _b ∼ ρ ^−0.8±0.1. The activity terminates with the exponential decline of the maser emission, F ∼ exp(−0.5t ²); in the saturated mode this is determined by a decrease in the optical depth, τ ∼ t ². The material of the surrounding space, including the ice granules, is drawn into the disk, moves along spirals toward the nozzle, and is ejected as a highly collimated bipolar flow. The density of material in the outflow exceeds the surrounding density by three to four orders of magnitude. The accretion of the surrounding material and ejection of the bipolar outflow are a unified process accompanying the initial phase of formation of protostars. The counter motion of material at the center stimulates the formation of a central massive object, whose gravitational field accelerates the process and stabilizes the system. The ratio of the durations of periods of high and low activity is determined by the rates of ejection and disk replenishment, and is ∼1:10. The rotating bipolar flow is self-focused.