The JCMT Legacy Survey of the Gould Belt: a first look at Taurus with
  HARP
  As part of a JCMT Legacy Survey of star formation in the Gould Belt, we
present early science results for Taurus. CO J=3-2 maps have been secured along
the north-west ridge and bowl, collectively known as L 1495, along with deep
13CO and C18O J=3-2 maps in two sub-regions. With these data we search for
molecular outflows, and use the distribution of flows, HH objects and shocked
H2 line emission features, together with the population of young stars,
protostellar cores and starless condensations to map star formation across this
extensive region. In total 21 outflows are identified. It is clear that the
bowl is more evolved than the ridge, harbouring a greater population of T Tauri
stars and a more diffuse, more turbulent ambient medium. By comparison, the
ridge contains a much younger, less widely distributed population of protostars
which, in turn, is associated with a greater number of molecular outflows. We
estimate the ratio of the numbers of prestellar to protostellar cores in L 1495
to be ~ 1.3-2.3, and of gravitationally unbound starless cores to
(gravitationally bound) prestellar cores to be ~ 1. If we take previous
estimates of the protostellar lifetime of ~ 5 x 10^5 yrs, this indicates a
prestellar lifetime of 9(+/-3) x 10^5 yrs. From the number of outflows we also
crudely estimate the star formation efficiency in L 1495, finding it to be
compatible with a canonical value of 10-15 %. We note that molecular
outflow-driving sources have redder near-IR colours than their HH jet-driving
counterparts. We also find that the smaller, denser cores are associated with
the more massive outflows, as one might expect if mass build-up in the flow
increases with the collapse and contraction of the protostellar envelope.
