Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Physics
A Protostellar Jet Model For The Water Masers In W49n, Mordecai-Mark Mac Low, Moshe Elitzur, James M. Stone, Arieh Königl
A Protostellar Jet Model For The Water Masers In W49n, Mordecai-Mark Mac Low, Moshe Elitzur, James M. Stone, Arieh Königl
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
Observations by Gwinn, Moran, & Reid of the proper motions of water masers in W49N show that they have elongated distribution expanding from a common center. Features with high space velocity only occur far from the center, while low-velocity features occur at all distances. We propose that these observations can be interpreted in terms of a shell of shocked molecular gas that is driven by the expanding cocoon of a high-velocity protostellar jet. We present three-dimensional numerical simulations in support of this interpretation and argue that this source provides a unique oppurtunity for a detailed study of jet-driven cocoons.