High-resolution images of the L1551 bipolar outflow: evidence for an expanding, accelerated shell

Approximately one-half of the L1551 bipolar outflow was mapped in the J = 1-0 transition of 12CO using the FCRAO 14 m telescope. The data were obtained by heavily oversampling over the beam area and then were reconstructed using a maximum entropy algorithm to obtain images of the high-velocity gas with an angular resolution of approximately 20". The outflow exhibits a striking shell-like structure with the lowest velocity out-flowing gas found along the limb of the outflow, and the highest velocity outflowing gas found along the axis of the outflow. A smooth transition is found between low-velocity emission on the periphery and high-velocity gas in the center. Our data can be modeled by molecular material located in a thin expanding shell which is accelerating away from IRS 5.