Abstract
Sensitive and high angular resolution (∼0′′7) (sub)millimeter line and continuum observations of the massive star-forming region W3(OH) made with the Submillimeter Array are presented. We report the first detection of two bipolar outflows emanating from the young and massive "Turner-Welch" (TW) protobinary system detected through the emission of carbon monoxide. The outflows are massive (10 M ∞ ), highly collimated (10°), and seem to be the extended molecular component of the strong radio jets and a 22GHz maser water outflow energized also by the stars in the W3(OH)TW system. Observations of the 890 μm continuum emission and the thermal emission of CH 3 OH might suggest the presence of two rotating circumstellar-disk-like structures associated with the binary system. The disk-like structures have sizes of about 1500 AU, masses of a few M ∞ , and appear to energize the molecular outflows and radio jets. We estimate that the young stars feeding the outflows and surrounded by the massive disk-like structures may be of B-type. © 2011. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.