OMC-2 FIR 3 and FIR 4 [OI] maps

We have carried out a Herschel/PACS spectral mapping study in the [OI] lines of OMC-2 FIR 3 and FIR 4, two of the most luminous protostars in Orion outside of the Orion Nebula. The spatial morphology of the fine structure line emission reveals the presence of an extended photodissociation region (PDR) and a narrow, but intense jet emission connecting the two protostars.

The jet seen in [OI] emission is spatially aligned with the Spitzer/IRAC 4.5um jet and the CO (6-5) molecular outflow centered on FIR 3. The mass loss rate derived from the total [OI] 63um line luminosity of the jet is 7.7*10^-6^M_{sun}_/yr, which is more than an order of magnitude higher than that measured for typical low mass class 0 protostars. The implied accretion luminosity is significantly higher than the observed bolometric luminosity of FIR 4, indicating that the [OI] jet is unlikely to be associated with FIR 4.