PRODIGE -- Envelope to Disk with NOEMA II. Small-scale temperature structure and a streamer feeding the SVS13A protobinary using CH3CN and DCN

TL;DR

This study uses NOEMA observations of SVS13A to reveal complex temperature and density structures in the circumbinary disk, influenced by an infalling streamer feeding the protobinary system, with implications for understanding accretion processes.

Contribution

First high-resolution NOEMA observations of SVS13A revealing complex gas structures and infalling streamer dynamics affecting protobinary accretion.

Findings

Multiple velocity components indicate varying physical conditions.

Detection of a potential infalling streamer feeding the binary.

Temperature and density vary significantly within the disk.

Abstract

Aims. We present high sensitivity and high-spectral resolution NOEMA observations of the Class 0/I binary system SVS13A, composed of the low-mass protostars VLA4A and VLA4B with a separation of ~90 au. VLA4A is undergoing an accretion burst that enriches the chemistry of the surrounding gas. This gives us an excellent opportunity to probe the chemical and physical conditions as well as the accretion process. Methods. We observe the (12K-11K) lines of CH3CN and CH313CN, the DCN (3-2) line, and the C18O (2-1) line toward SVS13A using NOEMA. Results. We find complex line profiles at disk scales which cannot be explained by a single component or pure Keplerian motion. By adopting two velocity components to model the complex line profiles, we find that the temperatures and densities are significantly different between these two components. This suggests that the physical conditions of the emitting gas traced via CH3CN can change dramatically within the circumbinary disk. In addition, combining our observations of DCN (3-2) with previous ALMA high-angular-resolution observations, we find that the binary system (or VLA4A) might be fed by an infalling streamer from envelope scales (~700 au). If this is the case, this streamer contributes to the accretion of material onto the system with a rate of at least 1.4x10-6 Msun yr-1. Conclusions. We conclude that the CH3CN emission in SVS13A traces hot gas from a complex structure. This complexity might be affected by a streamer that is possibly infalling and funneling material into the central region.