Disks and outflows in the massive protobinary system W3(OH)TW

TL;DR

This study presents high-resolution observations of the W3(OH)TW massive protobinary system, revealing two bipolar outflows, potential circumstellar disks, and insights into the star formation processes of massive B-type stars.

Contribution

First detection of two bipolar outflows from the W3(OH)TW protobinary system, linking outflows, disks, and jets in massive star formation.

Findings

Two massive, highly-collimated bipolar outflows identified.

Presence of two rotating disk-like structures around the binary.

Outflows energized by young B-type stars.

Abstract

Sensitive and high angular resolution ($\sim$ $0\rlap.{"}7$) (sub)millimeter line and continuum observations of the massive star forming region W3(OH) made with the Submillimeter Array are presented. We report the first detection of two bipolar outflows emanating from the young and massive "Turner-Welch" [TW] protobinary system detected by the emission of the carbon monoxide. The outflows are massive (10 M$_\odot$), highly-collimated (10$^\circ$), and seem to be the extended molecular component of the strong radio jets and a 22 GHz maser water outflow energized also by the stars in the W3(OH)TW system. Observations of the 890 $\mu$m continuum emission and the thermal emission of the CH$_3$OH might suggest the presence of two rotating circumstellar disk-like structures associated with the binary system. The disks-like structures have sizes of about 1500 AU, masses of a few M$_\odot$ and appear to energize the molecular outflows and radio jets. We estimate that the young stars feeding the outflows and that are surrounded by the massive disk-like structures maybe are B-type.