Disk-Driven Rotating Bipolar Outflow in Orion Source I

TL;DR

This study provides observational evidence of a rotating bipolar outflow driven by a high-mass young stellar object, supporting the magneto-centrifugal disk wind model and clarifying outflow launching mechanisms.

Contribution

First direct detection of a rotating outflow in a high-mass YSO, using ALMA to measure outflow rotation and estimate launching parameters.

Findings

Detected velocity gradient indicating rotation in the outflow.

Estimated outflow launching radius >10 au and velocity ~10 km/s.

Ruled out entrainment by jets or stellar winds as primary mechanisms.

Abstract

One of the outstanding problems in star-formation theory concerns the transfer of angular momentum such that mass can accrete onto a newly born young stellar object (YSO). From a theoretical standpoint, outflows and jets are predicted to play an essential role in angular momentum transfer and their rotation motions have been reported for both low- and high-mass YSOs. However, little quantitative discussion on outflow launching mechanisms have been presented for high-mass YSOs due to a lack of observational data. Here we present a clear signature of rotation in the bipolar outflow driven by Orion Source I, a high-mass YSO candidate, using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA). A rotational transition of silicon monoxide (Si18O) reveals a velocity gradient perpendicular to the outflow axis which is consistent with that of the circumstellar disk traced by a high-excitation water (H2O) line. The launching radii and outward velocity of the outflow are estimated to be >10 au and 10 km s-1, respectively. These parameters rule out a possibility that the observed outflow is produced by entrainment of a high-velocity jet, and that contribution from stellar-wind or X-wind which have smaller launching radii are significant in the case of Source I. Thus, present results provide a convincing evidence of a rotating outflow directly driven by the magneto-centrifugal disk wind launched by a high-mass YSO candidate.