Searching for coronal radio emission from protostars using very-long-baseline interferometry

Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany e-mail: jforbrich@cfa.harvard.edu

Received: 17 January 2007
Accepted: 20 April 2007

Abstract

Aims.In order to directly study the role of magnetic fields in the immediate vicinity of protostars, we use Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), aiming at the detection of non-thermal centimetric radio emission. This is technically the only possibility to study coronal emission at sub-AU resolution.

Methods.We performed VLBI observations of the four nearby protostars HL Tau, LDN 1551 IRS5, EC 95, and YLW 15 in order to look for compact non-thermal centimetric radio emission. For maximum sensitivity, we used the High Sensitivity Array (HSA) where possible, involving the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), the phased Very Large Array (VLA), as well as the Arecibo, Green Bank, and Effelsberg radio telescopes.

Results.While all four protostars were detected in VLA-only data, only one source (YLW 15 VLA 2) was detected in the VLBI data. The possibility of non-detections due to free-free absorption, possibly depending on source geometry, is considered.