Jwst Observations of Young protoStars (JOYS)

The JOYS+ program is a combination of three MIRI guaranteed time projects (PID 1290, PI: E. F. van Dishoeck; PID 1236, PI: M. E. Ressler; PID 1257, PI: T. P. Ray) and one NIRSpec guaranteed time project (PID 1186, PI: T. P. Greene) investigating the physical and chemical properties of protostars and their immediate environment. JOYS+ studies the physical characteristics of embedded disks, accretion signatures onto the protostars, feedback from the young protostars on their environment through primordial jets and outflows, as well as the chemical gas and ice constituents of the protostellar envelopes and disks. These goals are achieved with MIRI IFU spectral imaging between 5 and 28 micron, with NIRSPEC IFU data obtained for many of the sources (also through NIRSPEC GO Cycle 1 program 1960, PI: van Dishoeck) and NIRCAM imaging for the jet source HH 211. Both high- and low-mass protostars are targeted.

First results on the high-mass protostellar system IRAS23385+6053

A spectrum covering the full MIRI-MRS wavelength range is presented below for the high-mass protostellar system IRAS23385+6053. At the shortest MIRI wavelengths (~5 micron), two IR sources are identified. At longer wavelengths (>16 micron), the two sources are no longer resolved. In the spectrum below, several strong emission features, originating from H₂ and atomic species such as Sulfur and Iron, are labeled in red. Several molecular emission features are also indicated, most notably HD, CO₂, and PAHs. Furthermore, strong ice absorption bands are present such as H₂O and CO₂, as well as a deep silicate absorption band.

For more details, see the first JOYS paper on this source: Beuther et al. 2023.