Giant Molecular Outflows Powered by Protostars in L1448

We present sensitive, large-scale maps of the CO J=1-0 emission of the L1448dark cloud. These maps were acquired using the On-The-Fly capability of theNRAO 12-meter telescope. CO outflow activity is seen in L1448 on parsec-scalesfor the first time. Careful comparison of the spatial and velocity distributionof our high-velocity CO maps with previously published optical andnear-infrared images and spectra has led to the identification of six distinctCO outflows. We show the direct link between the heretofore unknown, giant,highly-collimated, protostellar molecular outflows and their previouslydiscovered, distant optical manifestations. The outflows traced by our COmapping generally reach the projected cloud boundaries. Integrated intensitymaps over narrow velocity intervals indicate there is significant overlap ofblue- and red-shifted gas, suggesting the outflows are highly inclined withrespect to the line-of-sight, although the individual outflow position anglesare significantly different. The velocity channel maps also show that theoutflows dominate the CO line cores as well as the high-velocity wings. Themagnitude of the combined flow momenta, as well as the combined kinetic energyof the flows, are sufficient to disperse the 50 solar mass NH3 cores in whichthe protostars are currently forming, although some question remains as to theexact processes involved in redirecting the directionality of the outflowmomenta to effect the complete dispersal of the parent cloud.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, to be published in the Astronomical Journa