2018
Ref: SCART-2019-0095

Radio observations of planetary nebulae: no evidence for strong radial density gradients

Hajduk, M. ; van Hoof, P. A. M. ; Śniadkowska, K. ; Krankowski, A. ; Błaszkiewicz, L. ; Dąbrowski, B. ; Zijlstra, A. A.


published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 479 issue 4, pp. 5657-5677 (2018)

Abstract: Radio-continuum observations trace the thermal emission of ionized plasma in planetary nebulae and bring useful information regarding nebular geometries. A model of a homogeneous sphere or shell cannot fit the nebular spectra and brightness temperatures. Two alternative models have been proposed in the literature: the first consists of two homogeneous components, while the other is a model of a shell with a significant radial density gradient. On the other hand, a prolate ellipsoidal shell model can fit the surface-brightness distribution of selected objects successfully. We verify the existing models using data collected in radio surveys covering a wide range of frequencies. In about 50 per cent of cases a density gradient can be excluded and none of the remaining objects could be confirmed. None of the observed planetary nebulae shows a spectral index of 0.6 in the optically thick part of the spectrum, which is the value predicted for a shell containing a strong radial density gradient. Radio spectra can be fitted with a model of a prolate ellipsoidal shell, but also by a shell containing temperature variations in planetary nebulae. At least eight planetary nebulae show two-component spectra, with one compact component showing much higher optical thickness than the other. Unexpectedly, the group of planetary nebulae with the lowest surface brightness shows non- negligible optical thickness. Their emission comes from compact and dense structures, comprising only a small part of the total nebular mass.

Keyword(s): planetary nebulae: general ; radio continuum: general ; stars: AGB and post-AGB ; stars: winds ; outflows ; Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies ; Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
DOI: 10.1093/mnras/sty1673
Links: link


The record appears in these collections:
Royal Observatory of Belgium > Astronomy & Astrophysics
Science Articles > Peer Reviewed Articles



 Record created 2019-01-28, last modified 2019-01-28