The evolution and simulation of the outburst from XZ Tauri – A possible EXor?

¹ School of Cosmic Physics, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 5 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, Ireland
² Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland

Corresponding author: D. Coffey, dac@cp.dias.ie

Received: 12 September 2003
Accepted: 19 February 2004

Abstract

We report on multi-epoch HST/WFPC2 images of the XZ Tauri binary, and its outflow, covering the period from 1995 to 2001. Data from 1995 to 1998 have already been published in the literature. Additional images, from 1999, 2000 and 2001 are presented here. These reveal not only further dynamical and morphological evolution of the XZ Tauri outflow but also that the suspected outflow source, XZ Tauri North, has flared in EXor-type fashion. In particular our proper motion studies suggests that the recently discovered bubble-like shock, driven by the the XZ Tauri outflow, is slowing down (its tangential velocity decreasing from 146 km s^-1 to 117 km s^-1). We also present simulations of the outflow itself, with plausible ambient and outflow parameters, that appear to reproduce not only the dynamical evolution of the flow, but also its shape and emission line luminosity.