A collimated stellar wind emanating from a massive protostar

We report multi-wavelength observations towards IRAS 16547 - 4247, a luminous infrared source with a bolometric luminosity of 6.2 x 10(4) L-.. Dust continuum observations at 1.2-mm indicate that this object is associated with a dust cloud with a size of about 0.4 pc in diameter and a mass of about 1.3 x 10(3) M-.. Radio continuum observations show the presence of a triple radio source consisting of a compact central object and two outer lobes, separated by about 0.3 pc, symmetrically located from the central source. Molecular hydrogen line observations show a chain of knots that trace a collimated flow extending over 1.5 pc. We suggest that IRAS 16547 - 4247 corresponds to a dense massive core which hosts near its central region a high-mass star in an early stage of evolution. This massive YSO is undergoing the ejection of a collimated stellar wind which drives the H-2 flow. The radio emission from the lobes arises in shocks resulting from the interaction of the collimated wind with the surrounding medium. We conclude that the thermal jets found in the formation of low-mass stars are also produced in high-mass stars.