HERBIG-HARO JETS, DISINTEGRATING TRIPLE SYSTEMS, AND BROWN DWARFS:
PIECES OF A PUZZLE

Bo Reipurth

Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy
University of Colorado

Herbig-Haro jets drive the ubiquitous molecular outflows, and I
discuss millimeter interferometric observations which clarify the
connections between these two outflow phenomena. HH flows can attain
gigantic proportions and thus provide an important fossil record of
the long-term activity of their underlying sources.  Submillimeter
observations of these sources demonstrate that they are among the
youngest stars known. High resolution studies have revealed that
almost 90% of HH sources are binaries or higher order multiples. To
establish the multiplicity frequency found on the main sequence, most
of the multiples must decay while the stars are still in the embedded
phase. Such disintegration events and subsequent binary evolution lead
to cyclic disk accretion episodes which drive the giant HH flows. I
discuss the conditions under which an ejected member will have been
deprived of gaining enough mass to eventually burn hydrogen. Such
ejectae will therefore form a population of brown dwarfs either
free-floating or weakly bound to their parental stars