In this paper, we present the results of CARMA continuum and spectral line observations of the dense core Per-Bolo 45. Although this core has previously been classified as starless, we find evidence for an outflow and conclude that Per-Bolo 45 is actually an embedded, low-luminosity protostar. We discuss the impact of newly discovered, low-luminosity, embedded objects in the Perseus molecular cloud on starless core and protostar lifetimes. We estimate that the starless core lifetime has been overestimated by 4-18% and the Class 0/I protostellar lifetime has been underestimated by 5-20%. Given the relatively large systematic uncertainties involved in these calculations, variations on the order of 10% do not significantly change either core lifetimes or the expected protostellar luminosity function. Finally, we suggest that high resolution (sub)millimeter surveys of known cores lacking near-infrared and mid-infrared emission are necessary to make an accurate census of starless cores.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1111.6606,
title = {How Starless Are Starless Cores?},
author = {Scott Schnee and James Di Francesco and Melissa Enoch and Rachel Friesen and Doug Johnstone and Sarah Sadavoy},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1111.6606},
year = {2015}
}