| Description |
We propose to obtain PACS and HIFI spectroscopic maps of five outflows driven by young and heavily embedded Class 0protostars, in selected transitions of OI, CO and H2O. Thesespecies represent the main coolants of the warm (T virgul 100-2000 K)and dense (10^4 cm^{-3}-10^6 cm^{-3}) shocked gas that gives rise to most of the radiative luminosity of these systems. The immediate objectives of the proposed observations will be:1) to detect, through a map of the OI63um line, the embedded atomic primary jet that should be responsible for the acceleration of the outflow; 2) to map the excitation structure of the molecular warm gas component and understand its role in the dynamics of the system; 3)to derive the spatial variations, as a function of the central source,of the H2O abundance and O/H2O abundance ratio, that will betracing time-dependent chemical changes during the flow life-time.In order to maximize the scientific return from this program, we have selected sources that will be already mapped inthe H2O 557 GHz line within the WISH Key Program. If added to the ground-based and space-borne spectral maps already availablefor the selected objects, the proposed Herschel observations will represent the first multi-wavelength spatial study of protostellar outflows covering the complete spectral domain of emission (from NIR to mm) of these objects. Such a data-base has a strong legacy value for both future missions and development of theoretical models and numerical simulations of shocks and outflows. |
