High spatial resolution observations of two young protostars in the R corona australis region

We present multiwavelength, high spatial resolution imaging of the IRS 7 region in the R Corona Australis molecular cloud. Our observations include 1.1 mm continuum and HCO⁺ j = 3 → 2 images from the Submillimeter Array (SMA), ¹²CO J = 3 → 2 outflow maps from the DesertStar heterodyne array receiver on the Heinrich Hertz Telescope (HHT), 450 and 850 μm continuum images from SCUBA, and archival Spitzer IRAC and MIPS 24 μm images. The accurate astrometry of the IRAC images allow us to identify IRS 7 with the centimeter source VLA 10W (IRS 7A) and the X-ray source X_w. The SMA 1.1 mm image reveals two compact continuum sources that are also distinguishable at 450 μm. SMA 1 coincides with X-ray source CXOU J190156.4-365728 and VLA centimeter source 10E (IRS 7B) and is seen in the IRAC and MIPS images. SMA 2 has no infrared counterpart but coincides with centimeter source VLA 9. Spectral energy distributions constructed from SMA, SCUBA, and Spitzer data yield bolometric temperatures of 83 K for SMA 1 and ≤70 K for SMA 2. These temperatures along with the submillimeter to total luminosity ratios indicate that SMA 2 is a Class 0 protostar, while SMA 1 is a Class O/Class I transitional object (L = 17 ± 6L_⊙). The ₁₂CO J = 3 → 2 outflow map shows one major and possibly several smaller outflows centered on the IRS 7 region, with masses and energetics consistent with previous work. We identify the Class 0 source SMA 2/VLA 9 as the main driver of this outflow. The complex and clumpy spatial and velocity distribution of the HCO⁺ J = 3 → 2 emission is not consistent with either bulk rotation, or any known molecular outflow activity.