Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 August 2017
A wealth of data is now available on the energetic mass outflows that are associated with young stellar objects. This phenomenon is thought to occur at a very early stage in the evolution of stars of almost all masses. The discovery of this energetic event was first made through observations of the rapidly expanding molecular gas that surrounds many of these young stellar objects. A review of the physical properties, including the energetics and morphology, of the expanding molecular gas is presented in this paper. In addition, the role these energetic winds play in affecting the dynamics of the parental molecular clouds is also discussed. Finally, the results of detailed studies of the structure and kinematics of the high velocity molecular gas are reviewed and the evidence for existance of wind-swept cavities and molecular shells within the clouds are presented.