The Class 0 Protostar BHR71: Herschel Observations and Dust Continuum Models

TL;DR

This study uses Herschel observations and dust continuum modeling to analyze the physical properties and structure of the Class 0 protostar BHR71, revealing details about its envelope, outflow, and evolutionary stage.

Contribution

It provides new constraints on BHR71's physical parameters through spectral line analysis and detailed dust radiative transfer modeling, including envelope structure and outflow cavity characteristics.

Findings

Envelope mass of 19 solar masses within 0.315 pc

Estimated age of approximately 36,000 years since collapse began

Mass infall rate comparable to stellar accretion rate, with no evidence of episodic accretion

Abstract

We use Herschel spectrophotometry of BHR71, an embedded Class 0 protostar, to provide new constraints on its physical properties. We detect 645 (non-unique) spectral lines amongst all spatial pixels. At least 61 different spectral lines originate from the central region. A CO rotational diagram analysis shows four excitation temperature components, 43 K, 197 K, 397 K, and 1057 K. Low-J CO lines trace the outflow while the high-J CO lines are centered on the infrared source. The low-excitation emission lines of H2O trace the large-scale outflow, while the high-excitation emission lines trace a small-scale distribution around the equatorial plane. We model the envelope structure using the dust radiative transfer code, Hyperion, incorporating rotational collapse, an outer static envelope, outflow cavity, and disk. The evolution of a rotating collapsing envelope can be constrained by the far-infrared/millimeter SED along with the azimuthally-averaged radial intensity profile, and the structure of the outflow cavity plays a critical role at shorter wavelengths. Emission at 20-40 um requires a cavity with a constant-density inner region and a power-law density outer region. The best fit model has an envelope mass of 19 solar mass inside a radius of 0.315 pc and a central luminosity of 18.8 solar luminosity. The time since collapse began is 24630-44000 yr, most likely around 36000 yr. The corresponding mass infall rate in the envelope (1.2x10$^{-5}$ solar mass per year) is comparable to the stellar mass accretion rate, while the mass loss rate estimated from the CO outflow is 20% of the stellar mass accretion rate. We find no evidence for episodic accretion.