High-resolution near-infrared study of the deeply embedded
young stellar object S140 IRS 3
T. Preibisch Y. Balega, D. Schertl, M.D. Smith, and G. Weigelt
Astronomy & Astrophysics 378, 539-545 (2001)
Abstract.
We explore the structures immediately surrounding the high-mass young stellar
object S140 IRS 3 within the L1204 molecular cloud. We have obtained a
bispectrum speckle interferometric K-band image with a resolution of 150 mas
and a seeing-limited molecular hydrogen line emission image of IRS 3.
Our speckle image resolves IRS 3 into three point sources, a close binary with
separation 0.63'' and a third component 1.3'' away. A rough assessment of the
system stability suggests that the IRS 3 triple system is unstable.
Our speckle image also reveals extended diffuse emission of very complex
morphology around IRS 3. An extended diffuse feature north-east of IRS 3
displays a remarkable S-shaped structure. This feature is the innermost part
of an at least 15'' long extended structure, which is
pointing towards a bow-shock like patch located 90'' away from IRS 3.
We find strong H_2 line emission associated with this feature, suggesting the
presence of shocks, caused by the collision of outflowing material with the
ambient medium. The S-shaped structure of this feature can be well reproduced
by a model assuming a precessing outflow from IRS 3a.
Furthermore, we find several elongated
features pointing away from IRS 3 in a southern direction. Some of these
features also exhibit strong H_2 line emission, demonstrating that IRS 3
drives outflows in several directions.