Mary Barsony
Harvey Mudd College
Grace A. Wolf-Chase
Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
JoAnn O'Linger
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
We present sensitive (
), large-scale (47' x
7'--corresponding to 4 pc x 6 pc at the source) maps of the
CO J = 1
0 emission of the L1448 dark cloud at 55"
resolution.
The maps were acquired using the On-The-Fly (OTF) capability of the NRAO's
12-meter telescope. Careful comparison of the spatial and velocity
distribution of the high-velocity CO with previously published optical and
near-infrared images and spectra has led to the identification of four
distinct, parsec-scale molecular outflows from our maps. These CO flows
are powered by four Class 0 protostars: L1448C, L1448N(A), L1448N(B), and
L1448 IRS2 and end at the cloud's boundaries. The famous, well-collimated,
high-velocity molecular outflow
powered by L1448C can now be traced to distances an order of magnitude greater
than previously. We present strong evidence for interactions between all four
outflows on scales over a parsec from the driving sources. The magnitude of the
combined flow
momenta, as well as the combined kinetic energy of the flows, are sufficient
to disperse the 50 M
ammonia core in which the protostars are
currently forming. It remains to be shown whether the combined directions
of the outflow momenta, and the efficiency of momentum transfer from outflow
to ambient material, are sufficient for dispersal of the L1448 molecular cloud.