2002ApJ...581..325S

We have mapped the water maser emission associated with the infrared centers IRS 1 and IRS 3 of the NGC 2071IR star-forming region at four epochs over ∼4 months with the Very Long Baseline Array. We detected 269 maser features with ∼1 km.s^–1 line widths and measured 30 proper motions. In each infrared center, the water maser emission appears to trace parts of a protostellar disk and collimated outflow. The disk components are ∼9 and ∼17 AU long in IRS 3 and IRS 1, respectively, and ∼2 AU wide. They are identified as disks by their compact size, elongation parallel to the direction of known IR polarization, central location in the maser maps, small internal proper motions, and proximity to λ1.3 cm continuum emission. The outflows have axes perpendicular to the disks and exhibit proper motions of up to ∼42 km.s^–1. They are outlined by maser emission up to ∼260 AU from the protostars. The IRS 3 outflow appears to be conical on one side, while the IRS 1 outflow comprises a narrowly collimated bipolar flow surrounded by outward-facing, funnel-shaped cavities. The detection of water maser emission tracing such compact disk components and specifically conical or funnel-shaped structures is unusual. The fact that the distributions are similar in IRS 3 and IRS 1 may indicate that the two infrared centers are roughly coeval. NGC 2071IR provides a rare opportunity to resolve the structures and dynamics of disks and outflows together and to do so for two protostars that are only ∼2000 AU apart (in projection) in a deeply embedded star-forming region of intermediate luminosity.