Atomic jet from SMM1 (FIRS1) in Serpens uncovers protobinary companion (O. Dionatos et al.)

Vol. 563
In section 6. Interstellar and circumstellar matter

Atomic jet from SMM1 (FIRS1) in Serpens uncovers protobinary companion

The authors report on the Spitzer detection of an atomic jet associated with the protostellar source SMM1 (FIRS1) in Serpens. The atomic jet gives the first opportunity to disentangle the complex outflow morphology around SMM1 into two precessing outflows. The morphological and physical properties of the outflows reveal that SMM1 is a protobinary source. The momentum flux of the atomic jet indicates that the companion to the deeply embedded Class 0 protostar SMM1 is a more evolved Class I/II source.