Close encounters of the protostellar kind in IC 1396N

TL;DR

This study maps the dense, obscured regions of the IC 1396N globule, revealing two collimated protostellar outflows that collide, providing insights into early star formation processes in highly extincted environments.

Contribution

It presents high-resolution millimeter and CO observations that identify and characterize protostellar outflows in a heavily obscured star-forming region for the first time.

Findings

Identified two well-collimated low-mass protostellar outflows.

Detected outflows colliding near a strong H2 emission feature.

Mapped the most extincted part of the IC 1396N globule.

Abstract

We have mapped in the 2.7 mm continuum and 12CO with the PdBI the IR-dark "tail" that crosses the IC 1396N globule from south to north, and is the most extincted part of this cloud. These observations have allowed us to distinguish all possible associations of molecular hydrogen emission features by revealing the presence of two well-collimated low-mass protostellar outflows at the northern part of the globule. The outflows are located almost in the plane of the sky and are colliding with each other towards the position of a strong 2.12 microns H2 line emission feature.