Detection of Infall Signatures toward Serpens SMM4

Abstract

We present the detection of kinematic infall signatures toward the Class 0 protostellar system SMM4 in the Serpens cloud core. We have observed the dense molecular gas toward the embedded source using millimeter and submillimeter line transitions of density sensitive molecular tracers. High signal-to-noise ratio maps obtained in HCO+ J=1–0, J=3–2, and J=4–3, and CS J=2–1 show the blue-bulge infall signature. The blue-bulge infall signature can be observed in the centroid velocity maps of protostellar objects when infall dominates over rotation. The line profiles of HCO+ and CS exhibit the characteristic blue asymmetric line profile signature consistent with infall. In addition, HCO+ and CS optical depth profiles obtained using isotopic observations show a red asymmetry also consistent with an infall interpretation. Using three-dimensional radiative transfer models based on the rotating, collapse model of Terebey, Shu, & Cassen, we derive infall parameters of the source. To determine the direction and orientation of molecular outflows in the larger Serpens cluster, wide-field mapping of CO J=1–0 emission was also performed.