| Description |
In the early protostellar stages, fast jets powered by the nascent star, possibly surrounded by a wider angle wind, are seen to interact with the parental medium through molecular bowshocks, producing a slower moving molecular outflow cavity. The nature of the shock accelerating the outflow plays an important role in the dynamical and chemical evolution of the entrained gas. We propose to study with Herschel the physics of protostellar outflow shocks from the observation of CO and OI lines with HIFI and PACS, in a broad sample of outflows.These observations will permit to bring strong constraints to shock models over a wide range of parameters, and will facilitate the interpretation of current observational programs on protostellar shock chemistry and dynamics. |
