2009ApJ...694...56G

We present 1.35 mm Submillimeter Array (SMA) observations around the low-mass Class 0 source IRAS 19156+1906, at the center of the LDN 723 (L723) dark cloud. We detected emission from dust as well as emission from H₂CO 3_0,3-2_0,2, DCN 3-2, and CN 2-1 lines, which arise from two cores, SMA 1 and SMA 2, separated by 2".9 (880 AU in projected distance). SMA 2 is associated with the previously detected source VLA 2. Weak SiO 5-4 emission is detected, possibly tracing a region of interaction between the dense envelope and the outflow. We modeled the dust and H₂ CO emission from the two cores. The results from the modeling show that the cores have similar physical properties (density and temperature distribution) but that SMA 2 has a larger p-H₂CO abundance (by a factor of 3-10) than SMA 1. The p-H₂ CO abundances' findings are compatible with the value of the outer part of the circumstellar envelopes associated with Class 0 sources. SMA 2 is harboring an active multiple low-mass protostellar system and powering at least one molecular outflow. In contrast, there are no known signs of outflow activity toward SMA 1. This suggests that SMA 2 is more evolved than SMA 1. The kinematics of the two sources show marginal evidence of infall and rotation motions. The mass detected by the SMA observation, which trace scales of ≲1000 AU, is only a small fraction of the mass contained in the large-scale molecular envelope, which suggests that L723 is still in a very early phase of star formation. Despite the apparent quiescent nature of the L723, fragmentation is occurring at the center of the cloud at different scales. Thus, at ≃1000 AU, the cloud has fragmented in two cores: SMA 1 and SMA 2. At the same time, at least one of these cores, SMA 2, has undergone additional fragmentation at scales of ≃150 AU, forming a multiple stellar system.