A Thermal Radio Jet Associated with the Quadrupolar Molecular Outflow in L723

Abstract

We have carried out VLA observations at subarcsecond resolution of the two radio continuum sources detected previously at lower angular resolution toward the center of the quadrupolar molecular outflow in L723. While the source VLA 1 appears unresolved at our angular resolution of 10"3, the source VLA 2 appears as clearly elongated approximately along the direction of the larger pair of lobes of the molecular outflow. This alignment, and the flux density and deconvolved angular size dependences with frequency observed between 3.6 and 6 cm, are consistent with VLA 2 being a thermal radio jet and suggest that this source is related to the excitation of the larger pair of outflow lobes. Under this interpretation, the second, more compact lobe pair most probably constitutes an independent bipolar outflow, whose exciting source is still to be determined. Subject headings: ISM: individual (L723)-ISM: jets and outflows-radio continuum: ISM-stars: formation