Extremely Energetic Outflow and Decelerated Expansion in W49N

Abstract

W49N is a mini-starburst in the Milky Way and is thus an ideal laboratory for high-mass star formation studies. Due to its large distance (11.1 0.7 0.9 - + kpc), the kinematics inside and between the dense molecular clumps in W49N are far from well-understood. The Submillimeter Array observations resolved the continuum emission into two clumps. The molecular line observation of SO2 (284,24–283,25) suggests that the two clumps have a velocity difference of ∼7 km s−1 . The eastern clump is very close to two radio sources “G1” and “G2,” and the western clump coincides with a radio source “B.” The HCN (3–2) line reveals an extremely energetic outflow, which is among the most energetic molecular outflows in the Milky Way. This is the first report of high-velocity molecular outflow detection in W49N. The outflow jet might be in precession, which could account for the distribution, velocity, and rotation of water maser spots. Three absorption systems are identified in HCO+ (3–2) spectra. The absorption features are blueshifted with respect to the emission of SO2 (284,24–283,25) lines, indicating that a cold layer is expanding in front of the warm gas. Further analysis indicates that the expansion is decelerated from the geometric expansion centers.