Inclination-angle of the outflow in IRAS 05553+1631: A method to correct the projection effect

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new method to accurately determine the inclination angle of outflows in star-forming regions, correcting projection effects to improve the calculation of outflow parameters.

Contribution

A novel approach using contour diagrams and equations to directly calculate the inclination angle of bipolar outflows, enhancing the accuracy of derived physical parameters.

Findings

Inclination angles of 73° and 78° were determined for the outflow in IRAS 05553+1631.

Corrected parameters significantly differ from initial estimates assuming 45°, affecting timescales and energetics.

The method reduces uncertainties in outflow property calculations by accounting for projection effects.

Abstract

A mapping study of IRAS 05553+1631 was performed with 12CO J=3-2 and 13CO J=2-1 lines observed by the KOSMA 3 m-telescope. A core with a size of 0.65 pc and with a LTE mass of 120 M\odot was defined by the mapping with 13CO J=2-1 line. We have identified a bipolar outflow with 12CO J=3-2. For accuracy in the calculation of outflow parameters, overcoming the projection effect is important. We propose a new method to directly calculate the inclination-angle {\theta}. We establish two basic equations with the help of outflow contour diagram and finally obtain the "angle function" and the "angle equation" to derive {\theta}. We apply our method to the outflow of IRAS 05553+1631, finding that {\theta}blue is 73\circ and {\theta}red is 78\circ. Compared to the parameters initially estimated under an assumption of 45\circ inclination-angle, the newly derived parameters are changed with different factors. For instance, the timescales for the blue and the red lobes are reduced by 0.31 and 0.21, respectively. Larger influences apply to mechanical luminosity, driving force, and mass-loss rate. The comparisons between parameters before and after the correction show that the effect of the inclination-angle cannot be neglected.