Accretion and Outflows of Young Protostars Across the Mass Spectrum with JWST

Dr. Samuel A. Federman (INAF/OACn)

5 February 2025
11:30, Aula Piazzi

Abstract:

Studies of protostellar accretion and outflow processes have been revolutionized by the incredible power of JWST. Investigating Protostellar Accretion (IPA) is a Cycle 1 JWST program that targeted 5 young (Class 0), inclined protostars in their primary accretion phase, spanning the mass spectrum, with the NIRSpec and MIRI MRS IFUs. The data enables exploration of the signatures of accretion and outflow through spectral mapping of the inner regions of protostars with high spatial and spectral resolution. The rich datasets clearly show the nested morphology of protostellar outflows just hundreds of au from the driving source. These data consistently show collimated jets traced by shock-ionized [Fe II], surrounded by narrow shells of warm H2, within wide-angle outflow cavities traced by the scattered-light continuum. H2 is observed filling the shells, showing probable evidence of molecular winds and/or expanding bow shocks. Shocked knots tracing variability in the jets are detected in molecular, neutral atomic, and ionic tracers, with launching timescales of a few decades. The results from a morphological and kinematic analysis of the collimated jets from three of the protostars show evidence of wiggles and bends in the jets, as well as asymmetries between jet and counterjet. Using the jet velocities found from the higher spectral resolution MIRI MRS, the mass and momentum outflow rates are estimated. These data provide the clearest picture yet of protostellar outflows during the deeply-embedded primary accretion phase. Finally, I will briefly share preliminary results of my work on more evolved protostellar jets using a combination of JWST and extremely high spatial resolution ERIS IFU data.

 

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