Publications
of the
MPIfR
Optical & Infrared
Interferometry Group
T. Preibisch Y. Balega, D. Schertl,
M.D. Smith, and G. Weigelt:
High-resolution near-infrared study of the
deeply embedded young stellar object S140 IRS 3
Astronomy & Astrophysics 378, 539-545
(2001)
Abstract.
We explore the structures immediately surrounding the high-mass young
stellar object S140 IRS 3 within the L1204 molecular cloud. We have
obtained a
bispectrum speckle interferometric K-band image with a resolution of
150 mas and a seeing-limited molecular hydrogen line emission image of
IRS 3. Our speckle image resolves IRS 3 into three point sources, a
close binary with
separation 0.63'' and a third component 1.3'' away. A rough assessment
of the system stability suggests that the IRS 3 triple system is
unstable. Our speckle image also reveals extended diffuse emission of
very complex morphology around IRS 3. An extended diffuse feature
north-east of IRS 3 displays a remarkable S-shaped structure. This
feature is the innermost part of an at least 15'' long extended
structure, which is
pointing towards a bow-shock like patch located 90'' away from IRS 3.
We find strong H_2 line emission associated with this feature,
suggesting the presence of shocks, caused by the collision of
outflowing material with the ambient medium. The S-shaped structure of
this feature can be well reproduced by a model assuming a precessing
outflow from IRS 3a. Furthermore, we find several elongated features
pointing away from IRS 3 in a southern direction. Some of these
features also exhibit strong H_2 line emission, demonstrating that IRS
3 drives outflows in several directions.
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