Rutgers University Astrophysics Seminar

Outflows from young stars are among the most prominent signposts of star formation. They deposit energy and momentum into their surroundings and have a considerable impact on the dynamics, distribution, and chemical composition of the gas in star forming clouds. Outflows from low-mass young stellar objects originate within a few AU (or less) of the forming star and may reach linear sizes of a few parsecs. Thus, they interact with a variety of environments in the interstellar medium, from the high-density envelope surrounding the protostar to the low-density atomic medium surrounding the parent molecular cloud. I will discuss how we assess the physical and chemical impact protostellar outflows have on their surroundings at different distances from the source, using multiwavelength observations. I will concentrate on the results of a recent millimeter interferometer study of the interaction between outflows and infalling circumstellar envelopes. It is in this region that outflows may have the strongest effects on the star formation process.