| Description |
We propose to observe a diverse sample of protostars with Herschel-SPIRE, selected from the DIGIT/WISH programs, to answer the key question: To what extent can we separate the system properties of a protostar (e.g. envelope/disk) from the extended properties (e.g. outflows, fast shocks)? Quantifying energetic feedback from a protostar into its surrounding environment provides a key for understanding the star formation process. Because of its simple chemistry and high abundance, CO is an ideal tracer of such feedback. We have the unique opportunity to expand a well-studied dataset of low-mass protostars with a huge range of existing observations: PACS and IRS spectroscopy, ancillary IR/optical/UV/X-ray and millimeter data, selected from the WISH/DIGIT that span a variety of bolometric luminosities and temperatures. Observations of mid-J CO lines are the missing link that we need to separate the effects of outflow from envelope emission. |
