A search for CO+ in planetary nebulae |
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| Authors: | T. A. Bell W. Whyatt S. Viti M. P. Redman |
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| Affiliation: | Centre d'Etude Spatiale des Rayonnements, CNRS/UPS, 9 Avenue du Colonel Roche, 31028 Toulouse Cedex 04, France;Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2421, USA |
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| Abstract: | We have carried out a systematic search for the molecular ion CO+ in a sample of eight protoplanetary and planetary nebulae in order to determine the origin of the unexpectedly strong HCO+ emission previously detected in these sources. An understanding of the HCO+ chemistry may provide direct clues for the physical and chemical evolution of planetary nebulae. We find that the integrated intensity of the CO+ line may be correlated with that of HCO+, suggesting that the reaction of CO+ with molecular hydrogen may be an important formation route for HCO+ in these planetary nebulae. |
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| Keywords: | accretion, accretion discs stars: neutron X-rays: stars |
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