Spitzer Space Telescope - Guaranteed Time Observer Proposal #50264


Deep IRAC Imaging of Mocular Outflows in High-Mass Star Forming Regions

Principal Investigator: Giovanni Fazio
           Institution: Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

     Technical Contact: Keping Qiu, Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Co-Investigators: 
Qizhou Zhang, Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory           

Science Category: star formation 
 Observing Modes: IracMap 
  Hours Approved: 4.9 

Abstract:
Recent single-dish CO observations have proven that massive molecular outflows
are ubiquitous toward high-mass star forming regions. It is essential to
understand them as a step toward understanding massive star formation. However,
in contrast to outflows from low-mass stars, many important properties of
outflows from high-mass stars remain unknown, partly due to the poor statistics
of high angular resolution observations. The Spitzer/IRAC imaging provides a
completely independent means of mapping outflows. As a continuation of our
successful GO observations, here we propose for GTO observations to image
outflows in 18 high-mass star forming regions with the Spitzer/IRAC. The sources
are chosen from our ongoing SMA projects dedicated to a systematic study of
molecular outflows and accretion in high-mass protostellar objects. Combining
the proposed observations and our SMA data, we will be able to carry out a
systematic study of outflows from high-mass stars based on high angular
resolution observations at mid-IR and (sub)millimeter wavelengths. A detailed
comparison between our observations and well studied low-mass outflows will show
us whether outflows from high-mass stars are simply scaled-up versions of
outflows from low-mass stars and put tighter constraints on theoretical models
of massive star formtion.