Keck Adaptive Optics Observations of the Protostellar Disk around Radio Source I in the Orion Kleinmann-Low Nebula

TL;DR

This study presents the first near-infrared imaging detection of a protostellar disk around Radio Source I in Orion, revealing its structure, orientation, and interaction with outflows using Keck adaptive optics.

Contribution

First near-infrared detection of the disk around Radio Source I, providing detailed morphological insights and supporting models of protostellar disks with outflow cavities.

Findings

Infrared emission detected at 3.8 and 4.7 microns, not at 2.1 microns.

Disk appears nearly edge-on with a visible northern face.

Evidence of a cavity aligned with outflow directions.

Abstract

We have made the first detection of a near-infrared counterpart associated with the disk around Radio Source "I," a massive protostar in the Kleinmann-Low Nebula in Orion using imaging with laser guide star adaptive optics on the Keck II telescope. The infrared emission is evident in images acquired using L' (3.8 microns) and Ms (4.7 microns) filters and is not detectable at K' (2.1 microns). The observed morphology strongly suggests that we are seeing some combination of scattered and thermal light emanating from the disk. The disk is also manifest in the L'/Ms flux ratio image. We interpret the near-infrared emission as the illuminated surface of a nearly edge-on disk, oriented so that only the northern face is visible; the opposite surface remains hidden by the disk. We do not see infrared radiation associated directly with the star proposed to be associated with Source "I." The data also suggest that there is a cavity above and below the disk that is oriented perpendicular to the disk, and is sculpted by the known, strong outflow from the inner disk of Source I. We compare our data to models of a protostar with a surrounding disk, envelope, and wind-blown cavity in order to elucidate the nature of the disk around Radio Source I.