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 LÂ 1495 , along with deep ^ { 13 } CO and C ^ { 18 } O 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 H _ { 2 } 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 LÂ 1495 to be \sim 1.3–2.3 , and of gravitationally unbound starless cores to ( gravitationally bound ) prestellar cores to be \sim 1 .
If we take previous estimates of the protostellar lifetime of \sim 5 \times 10 ^ { 5 } Â yrs , this indicates a prestellar lifetime of 9 ( \pm 3 ) \times 10 ^ { 5 } Â yrs .
From the number of outflows we also crudely estimate the star formation efficiency in LÂ 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 .