Episodic ejection from a low-mass young stellar object traced by H$_2$O masers

TL;DR

This study uses VLBI observations of 22 GHz H$_2$O masers to investigate episodic ejection events in a low-mass young stellar object, revealing cyclic maser activity linked to episodic outflows.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed VLBI characterization of maser activity and episodic ejection behavior in IRAS 16293-2422, a low-mass protostellar system.

Findings

Maser activity in IRAS 16293-2422 is cyclic and linked to episodic ejections.

A new maser flare indicates the start of a new activity cycle.

Archival data supports the episodic nature of the maser emission.

Abstract

We present the project of a VLBI study of the 22 GHz H$_2$O maser in a prototypical low-mass protostellar system IRAS 16293-2422. The observation was conducted to characterise the cause of the newly discovered enhanced maser activity in the source and to study the source's ejection behaviour as traced by maser emission. Single-dish monitoring and analysis of archival data indicate that the activity of the H$_2$O maser in IRAS 16293-2422 has a cyclic character and traces episodic ejection events in the source. A new maser flare was recently discovered in a spectral feature that has never shown such a significant increase in flux density before. The flare of this feature seems to indicate the beginning of a new cycle of activity.