2003ApJ...585..392C

Mid-infrared (10-25 µm) imaging of the protostellar binary system L1448N IRS 3(A,B) is presented. Only one source, IRS 3(A), was detected at mid-infrared wavelengths–all of the mid-infrared emission from IRS 3(A,B) emanates from IRS 3(A). The mid-infrared luminosity of IRS 3(A) is L_midir=1.3d/300pc²L_☉, which yields a central source mass, depending on the mass infall rate, of M_*=0.2M_☉10^–6M_☉yr^–1/M{dot}. The envelope mass surrounding IRS 3(A) is ∼0.15 M_☉, suggesting that the central source and the envelope are of comparable mass. The locations of IRS 3(A) and IRS 3(B) on an M_env-L_boldiagram indicate that IRS 3(A) and IRS 3(B) appear to be Class I and Class 0 protostars, respectively.