The Origin of Jets from Young Stars: MHD Disk Wind Models Confronted to Observations

C. Dougados, S. Cabrit, J. Ferreira, N. Pesenti, P. J. V. Garcia, D. O'Brien

Abstract
We discuss in this contribution constraints on the origin of mass-loss from young stars brought by recent observations at high angular resolution (0.1″= 14 AU) of the inner regions of winds from T Tauri stars. Jet widths and collimation scales, the large extent of the velocity profile as well as the detection of rotation signatures agree with predictions from magneto-centrifugal disk wind ejection models. However dynamically cold disk wind solutions predict too large terminal velocities and too low jet densities and ionisation fractions, suggesting that thermal gradients (originating in an accretion heated disk corona for example) may play an important role in accelerating the flow.

Astrophysics and Space Science
Volume 292, Page 643
August 2004

DOI: 10.1023/B:ASTR.0000045070.22924.8b