Velocity-resolved [O I] 63,145 um, [C II] 158 um, and OH line mapping along the Orion BN/KL explosive outflow and irradiated shocks

TL;DR

This study presents velocity-resolved IR line maps of the Orion BN/KL explosive outflow, revealing shock-excited gas properties, high luminosities, and shock models consistent with dissociative J-type shocks influenced by UV irradiation.

Contribution

First velocity-resolved IR line maps of Orion BN/KL outflow, providing detailed shock diagnostics and insights into outflow energetics and excitation conditions.

Findings

High [O I] line luminosity comparable to H2 and CO lines.

Line ratios indicate dense, warm postshock gas exceeding PDR values.

Shock models suggest dissociative J-type shocks at 30-40 km/s with UV irradiation.

Abstract

Stellar mergers produce explosive outflows that serve as transient sources of IR line luminosity and inject mechanical energy early into the natal molecular cloud. We present the first velocity-resolved maps of the [O I] 63 and 145 um fine-structure line emission from the wide-angle outflow in Orion BN/KL, the nearest explosive outflow. The data were obtained with SOFIA and include sensitive [C II] 158 um and OH maps. They allowed us to disentangle the quiescent cloud gas from the outflow, traced by a broader [O I] component with a line FWHM of about 20-30 km/s and exhibiting a spatial distribution similar to that of the shock-excited H2 emission seen with JWST. The OH 119 um line shows a prominent P-Cygni profile covering 160 km/s, similar to the very broad CO lines. The total [O I] 63 and 145 line luminosity is remarkably high, 86.5 L_sun, comparable to the H2 and CO line luminosities, implying an outflow mass-loss rate of (9.1+/-2.6)x10^-3 M_sun/yr and a mass of 3.3-5.9 M_sun. The [O I] 63 / 145 and [O I] 63 / [C II] 158 intensity ratios reach very high values in the line wings (20-30 and 40-60, respectively), exceeding those found in PDRs. These ratios are consistent with the presence of dense (10^5 to 10^6 cm^-3 ) and warm (~500 K) postshock gas. We analyzed the fine-structure line-wing intensities using magnetized shock models that include UV irradiation, to which the [C II] 158 line intensity is particularly sensitive. We find that the [O I] and [C II] intensities are consistent with emission from dissociative J-type shocks with velocities of 30-40 km/s and preshock gas densities of a few 10^4 cm^-3, illuminated by external UV radiation generated by surrounding fast shocks and possibly by massive (proto)stars in the region. We also report a broad [O I] emission feature around the BN star, which we attribute to an unresolved outflow or wind bow shock.