SCYON Abstract

Received on September 29 2006

Near Infrared Polarization Images of the Orion Nebula

AuthorsM. Tamura (1,2), R. Kandori (1), N. Kusakabe (2), Y. Nakajima (1), J. Hashimoto (1,3), C. Nagashima (4), T. Nagata (5), T. Nagayama (5), H. Kimura (6), T. Yamamoto (6), J. H. Hough (7), P. Lucas (7), A. Chrysostomou (7), and J. Bailey (8)
Affiliation
(1) National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Japan
(2) Department of Astronomical Science, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Japan
(3) Department of Physics, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan
(4) Department of Astrophysics, Faculty of Sciences, Nagoya University, Japan
(5) Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan
(6) Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Japan
(7) Centre for Astrophysics Research, University of Hertfordshire, UK
(8) Australian Centre for Astrobiology, Macquarie University, Australia
Accepted byAstrophysical Journal
Contacthide@optik.mtk.nao.ac.jp
URLhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0609735
Links Orion Nebula

Abstract

Wide-field (∼8' x 8') and deep near-infrared (JHKs bands) polarization images of the Orion nebulae (IRNe) around young stellar objects (YSOs), both massive and low-mass. We found the IRNe around both IRc2 and BN to be very extensive, suggesting that there might be two extended (>0.7 pc) bipolar/monopolar IRNe in these sources. We discovered at least 13 smaller-scale (∼0.01-0.1 pc) IRNe around less-massive YSOs including the famous source θ2 Ori C. We also suggest the presence of many unresolved (<690 AU) systems around low-mass YSOs and young brown dwarfs showing possible intrinsic polarizations. Wide-field infrared polarimetry is thus demonstrated to be a powerful technique in revealing IRNe and hence potential disk/outflow systems among high-mass to substellar YSOs.