Fitting Outflow Models to

Millimeter Molecular Line Observations

of L1228 and L1527
1 2 3 4
Christopher H. De Vries , Susan Terebey , Héctor G. Arce , and Andrea Isella
1
California State Univerisity, Stanislaus, 2 California State University, Los Angeles, 3 Yale University, 4 California Institute of Technology
z
Abstract
We present a physical outflow model which minimizes free parameters while maintaining the ability match a wide variety of millimeter and submillimeter observations
of molecular line emission observed in protostellar sources. We fit this model to 12CO (J=1-0) and 13CO (J=1-0) observations of L1228 and L1527 in order to investigate the
physical properties of the outflows that best match the observations. The model includes radiative transfer calculations which allow us to investigate relative abundances of
molecular species and their excitation conditions. Certain simplifying assumptions are made in order to reduce the free parameter space. The impact of these decisions are
discussed and evaluated in the context of these well-studied sources. We explore the use of this model in obtaining parameters such as the momentum and kinetic energy,
which are often calculated from observations.

L1228 CO (J=1-0) Observations L1228 CO (J=1-0) Model

z = Crb
v

w
r

Free Parameters
C, b: Curvature of outflow
v: Speed of outflow
Tk : Kinetic gas temperature of outflow
n: Gas density of outflow
w: Width of outflow
σ: Gas turbulent velocity

2
L1527 CO (J=1-0) Observations
Observations
The CO (J=1-0) observations of L1228 were obtained
with the OVRO interferometer and are discussed in Arce
& Sargent (2006). The observations have been converted
from units of Jy/beam to units of brightness temperature,
the units of the model, assuming a main-beam shape that
is roughly Gaussian.
The CO (J=1-0) observations of L1527 were obtained
with the CARMA array. The channel maps, shown to the
left, are plotted in units of Jy/beam.
Modeling
We use a cylindrically symmetric model of the molecular gas outflow
schematically presented above. The shape of the outflow follows the curve
z = Crb where the parameters C and b are allowed to vary. The width
of the outflow, velocity of the gas along the outflow tangent to the curve,
turbulent velocity, kinetic temperature, and gas density are all allowed to
vary. We hold the CO:H2 relative abundance fixed at 10−4.
Statistical equilibrium in the rotational energy levels of CO is calcu-
lated quickly using the Sobolev approximation on the 2-D cylindrical model.
The model is then projected onto a 3-D grid with an inclination and posi-
tion angle that are also free parameters. A spectral line map of the outflow
model is then obtained by integrating the equation of transfer along the
line of sight.

Fig. 2.— 12 CO (1-0) channel maps. Contours are spaced by 3σ=0.2 Jy/beam. FWHM beam size 3.32!! ×2.95!! . Each panel is 110!! ×110!! .
[The beam size is different than the one in the dust map. Check the weigthing function]

L1527 CO (J=1-0) Model

Overlaid integrated intensity maps of the redshifted CO (J=1-0) emission

Models
The models of CO (J=1-0) channel maps shown
above for L1228 and to the left for L1527 were developed
using the method discussed to the right. The parameters
used for the L1228 model outflow are b = 1.5, v = 5 km/s,
Tk = 40 K, n = 105 cm−3, w = 300 AU, σ = 0.5 km/s.
The inclination of the outflow relative to the observer is
60◦. The parameters used for the L1527 model outflow
are b = 1.9, v = 3 km/s, Tk = 50 K, n = 105 cm−3,
w = 200 AU, σ = 0.8 km/s. The inclination of the out-
flow relative to the observer is 89◦.
One puzzling aspect of the models, compared to the
observations, is that the emission at line center is typically
Fig. 3.— 12 CO (1-0). Left panel: velocity gradients with contours plotted every 0.5 km/sec. Central panel: mean intensity. Right
much panel:
higher than observed. This may be a result of ab-
spectrum obtained integrating on the region shown in the left and central panel.
sorption of the emission near the systematic velocity of the
cloud by a cold envelope surrounding the outflow. A sur-
rounding molecular gas envelope is not currently included
in this model.
(in red) and blueshifted CO (J=1-0) emission (in blue) obtained by using
the model described above.
Conclusion
This model for molecular outflows describes the outflow with a mini-
mum set of parameters (7) and the orientation with the fewest parameters
possible (2). Although the number of parameters are few, this model can
generate spectral line maps similar to those seen in many outflows at high
resolution. As ALMA begins making high-resolution observations, many
more of these outflows will be observed at even higher resolutions, necessi-
tating a more comprehensive way of parameterizing these outflows in order
to determine physical characteristics, such as inclination, mass, and outflow
speed, directly from the observations.
Although these models are easy to generate and fit to observations,
there are some improvements that can be made. The inclusion of a larger
envelope to absorb emission at line-center seems necessary and we are cur-
rently working on improving the model in a way that minimizes the number
of additional free parameters, while at the same time maintaining the con-
nection to plausible, physical outflow/envelope structure.