Title:

The 3-Dimensional Structure of Outflows from Newborn Stars from Gemini Integral Field Spectroscopy

Authors:

Tracy L. Beck (Gemini North Observatory), Angels Riera (Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya, Universitat de Barcelona), A. C. Raga (UNAM)

Abstract:

Herbig-Haro (HH) Energy sources are arguably the most spectacular emission signatures of outflows from young stars. To better determine their nature, HH objects have been observed at very high spatial resolution using the Hubble Space Telescope and at high spectral resolution using conventional longslit spectroscopy or Fabry-Perot interferometry. The capability of integral field (IFU) spectroscopy provides the opportunity to obtain a relatively high spatial and spectral resolution image cube of many interesting emission lines for the study of HH flows with only one pointing of a telescope. Using the GMOS optical IFUs available at the Gemini Observatory, our team has studied the 3 Dimensional structure of several outflows by constructing velocity channel maps and spatial maps of the electron density. We have found that the nature of an HH source is often much more complicated than can be readily discerned from longslit spectroscopy or narrow band imaging. In this talk we will present the results of our optical integral field spectroscopic studies and discuss the future of research on Herbig-Haro sources in the age of AO fed integral field spectroscopy at near-infrared wavelengths.