A rotating molecular jet in Orion

TL;DR

This study detects and analyzes velocity asymmetries in the Orion-S6 outflow, providing evidence of rotation extending over large distances, with implications for magnetic field structure and angular momentum transfer in star-forming regions.

Contribution

First detailed observation of rotational velocity signatures in the Orion-S6 outflow across multiple scales using various molecular lines.

Findings

Velocity asymmetries indicating rotation up to 25,000 AU from the source

Rotational velocity declines no faster than 1/R with distance

Inner regions show possible increase in rotational velocity with radius

Abstract

We present CO(2-1), $^{13}$CO(2-1), CO(6-5), CO(7-6), and SO(6$_5-5_4$) line observations made with the {\it IRAM 30 m} and {\it APEX} radiotelescopes and the {\it Submillimeter Array} toward the highly collimated and extended southwest lobe of the bipolar outflow {\it Ori-S6} located in the Orion South region. We report, for all these lines, the detection of velocity asymmetries about the flow axis, with velocity differences roughly on the order of 1 km s$^{-1}$ over distances of about 5000 AU, 4 km s$^{-1}$ over distances of about 2000 AU, and close to the source of between 7 and 11 km s$^{-1}$ over smaller scales of about 1000 AU. We interpret these velocity differences as a signature of rotation but also discuss some alternatives which we recognize as unlikely in view of the asymmetries' large downstream continuation. This rotation across the {\it Ori-S6} outflow is observed out to (projected) distances beyond 2.5 $\times$ 10$^4$ AU from the flow's presumed origin. Comparison of our large-scale and small-scale observations suggests the rotational velocity to decline not faster than 1/R with distance R from the axis; in the innermost few arcsecs an increase of rotational velocity with R is even indicated. The magnetic field lines threading the inner rotating CO shell may well be anchored in a disk of radius $\sim$ 50 AU; the field lines further out need a more extended rotating base.