Optical Outflows in the R Coronae Australis Molecular Cloud

Abstract

A deep [S ii] kk6717/6731 wide-field survey of Herbig-Haro (HH) objects has been carried out in two fields toward the R CrA molecular cloud using the ESO/MPG 2.2 m Wide Field Imager. Twelve new HH objects, many of which consist of several condensations or knots, have been discovered, and new details of the known HH objects have been revealed. Combining the results of previous optical, infrared, and millimeter-wavelength observations, the possible exciting sources of HH objects in the region are discussed. On the basis of the previously known and newly discovered HH objects, at least five HH flows in the region around R CrA and at least two outflows in the region around VV CrA can be identified. In combination with the previously detected molecular outflows, the HH flows in the R CrA region indicate rather active star formation in the R CrA core in the past 10 5-10 6 yr. Subject headingg s: ISM: Herbig-Haro objects-ISM: individual (R Coronae Australis IRS 7)-ISM: jets and outflows-stars: formation