Cool Stars 14 - Submitted Abstract # 51
This version created on 05 October 2006

X-rays and Protostars in the Embedded Infrared Cluster NGC 2071


Stephen Skinner, Univ. of Colorado
Audrey Simmons, Univ. of Colorado
Marc Audard, Univ. of Geneva, Switz.
Manuel Guedel, Paul Scherrer Inst., Switz.
Michael Meyer, Univ. of Arizona

We present results of XMM-Newton X-ray observations of the embedded
infrared cluster NGC 2071 in the Orion B region.  The central region
of this cluster contains a dense subgroup of heavily-reddened objects,
at least three of which are thought to be massive protostars.  We
report the detection of an unusual hard X-ray source lying within 1
arc-second of the massive protostar IRS-1, which is associated with an
ultracompact HII region and drives one of the most powerful outflows
known.  The X-ray spectrum of this source shows a strong broad
fluorescent emission line at 6.4 keV from neutral or near-neutral
iron, indicative of cool material near the protostar (e.g.  a disk or
envelope) that is irradiated by the hard central X-ray source.

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