Abstract
Multiple Protostellar Systems (MPSs) are common at every evolutionary stage, and yet their formation and evolution are still little understood. Models and simulations predict that MPSs most likely form through fragmentation, but the ques- tions of when and how are still left widely open. Continuum surveys of MPSs have been performed at every evolutionary stage, but the results can only address the mul- tiplicity distribution. To fully understand and constrain the formation and evolution mechanisms of MPSs, the multiplicity, coevality, outflow and circumstellar environ- ment must be addressed. MPSs present many chanllenges, as they can be deeply en- tangled through dynamical evolution and internal interaction. Disentangling MPSs, however, can prove to be rewarding, revealing not only insight into the system but providing a true star formation laboratory. To achieve this goal, a thorough look into a MPS is needed. In this work, we present one such thorough investigation into the much debated protostellar system VLA1623, located in ρ Ophiuchi (L1688) at a distance of 120pc. Here millimeter, submillimeter and infrared observations and archival data along with data from literature are used to present an almost complete picture VLA1623. The results and analysis presented in this work provide surprising and interesting insight into this system, revealing VLA1623 to be a triple non-coeval protostellar system, with each source driving its own outflow and two sources driving jets as well as unevenly distributed circumstellar material. Finally, one component, VLA1623B, is found to be an extremely young protostellar source with characteristics between a starless core and a Class 0 object.