The ALMA-ATOMS-QUARKS survey: Resolving a chemically rich massive protostellar outflow
Abstract
We present a comprehensive study on the physical and chemical structures of a chemically rich bipolar outflow in a high-mass star forming region IRAS 162724837 (SDC335), utilizing high-resolution spectral line data at 1.3 mm and 3 mm dual-bands from the ALMA ATOMS and QUARKS surveys. The high-velocity jet is enveloped by a lower-velocity outflow cavity, containing bright knots that show enhanced molecular intensities and elevated excitation temperatures. Along the outflow, we have identified 35 transitions from 22 molecular species. By analyzing the spatial distribution and kinematics of these molecular lines, we find that the molecular inventory in the outflow is regulated by three processes: (i) direct entrainment from the natal molecular core by the outflow; (ii) shock-induced release of molecules or atoms from dust grains; and (iii) thermal desorption and gas-phase reactions driven by shock heating. These results confirm that outflows are not only dynamical structures but also active chemical factories, where entrainment, shocks, and thermal processing jointly enrich the molecular content. Our findings confirmed that outflow chemistry has multi-origin nature, and provide critical insights into chemical evolution during high-mass star formation.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2511.04504,
title = {The ALMA-ATOMS-QUARKS survey: Resolving a chemically rich massive protostellar outflow},
author = {Jia-Hang Zou and Tie Liu and Fengwei Xu and Xindi Tang and Dezhao Meng and Yankun Zhang and Aiyuan Yang and Tapas Baug and Chang Won Lee and L. Viktor Toth and Ariful Hoque and Sami Dib and Pablo Garcia and Hong-Li Liu and Prasanta Gorai and Swagat R. Das and Guido Garay and Patricio Sanhueza and Li Chen and Di Li and Jihye Hwang and Dongting Yang},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2511.04504},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
Accepted by ApJ on 4 November 2025