Hydrogen-poor planetary nebulae

Five planetary nebulae are known to show hydrogen-poor material nearthe central star. In the case of A58, this gas was ejected following alate thermal pulse similar to Sakurai's Object. In this paper I will reviewthese five objects. One of them, IRAS 18333 –2357, may not be a truePN. I will show that there is a strong case for a relation to the [WC]stars and their relatives, the weak emission-line stars. The surfaceabundances of the [WC] stars are explained via diffuse overshoot intothe helium layer. The hydrogen-poor PNe do not support this: theirabundances indicate a change of abundance with depth in the heliumlayer. A short-lived phase of very high mass loss, the r-AGB, isindicated. Sakurai's Object may be at the start of such a phase, and mayevolve to very low stellar temperatures.     

Filamentary structures in planetary nebulae

We have studied small-scale, filamentary features in 14 planetary nebulae and found that some structures are recurrent and shaped like the letters V and Y, with the apex or stem pointing toward the central parts of the nebula. Two such filaments containing dust, one in NGC 3132 and one in NGC 7293, were investigated in more detail. The mass and density of the filaments were obtained from extinction measurements, and their physical properties were derived. We propose that the structures are confined by magnetic fields, and derive magnetic field strengths of about 10⁻⁸ T, in line with earlier estimates. We also estimate the magnitude of the electric currents that we expect are generated in these dynamic systems. We propose a theory where the magnetic fields control the sculpting and evolution of small-scale filaments. This theory demonstrates how the substructures may form magnetized flux ropes that are twisted around each other, in the shape of double helices. Similar structures, and with similar origin, are found in many other astrophysical environments.     

Planetary nebulae and ALMA

Our understanding of the late evolution of intermediate mass stars (∼1–8M_⊙) through the planetary nebula phase is undergoing major developments. Observations at infrared and millimeter wavelengths have revealed important components of neutral gas and dust in the nebulae that directly trace their formation from mass-loss on the Asymptotic Giant Branch. At the same time, high resolution imaging, especially with the Hubble Space Telescope, has revealed a surprising array of structures in the nebulae: multiple arcs, tori, jets, and myriads of small scale fragments. None of these are fully understood, and all involve the neutral gas component. This paper highlights recent observations of these structures and discusses the open questions, with an emphasis on those areas where observations with ALMA are likely to make important contributions.     

The radial distribution function in planetary nebulae

We have investigated the variation of planetary nebula number densities as a function of nebular radius, taking account of uncertainties arising from interstellar extinction. We find that the trend is composed of two components: one (a “spike” component) located at radii R < 0.035 pc, and the other (a “plateau” component) extending to larger radii. The plateau component appears to follow a Gaussian fall‐off law with scale radius R₀ = 0.28 pc. It is shown that this latter trend is not consistent with the assumption that larger shells are optically thin and density bounded. Rather, it seems likely thatmany of the larger sources have appreciable Lyman continuum optical depths and are ionization bounded. The deduced variation in N(R) then suggests that the velocities of the ionization fronts increase with radius. The nature of the spike component is less easy to fathom, and this may arise as a result of sharply lower ionization front velocities at radii R < 0.035 pc, or through contraction of the shells following a down‐turn in central star luminosities.     

Plasma diagnostics of planetary nebulae

Diagnostics for the rarefied plasmas in gaseous nebulae are reviewed, beginning with the pioneering papers of V. A. Ambartsumian. These papers, as well as the diagnostic techniques which have been developed on the basis of ideas contained in them, are discussed. Diagnostic techniques for homogeneous, as well as inhomogeneous, plasmas are described. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 363–383 (August 2008).     

Accurate coordinates of planetary nebulae

Accurate optical coordinates of 734 PNe, measured on the charts of the Digitized Palomar Sky Survey, are presented. As a result of the discussion about the external accuracy the constants –0.8″ in RA and +0.8″ in DEC should be added to the coordinates measured by us. They were used but rounded off already in CGPN(2000). The list and measurements of new 31 candidates of central stars are given which might be interesting for stellar evolution.     

Far infrared emission from three new planetary nebulae

As dust emission in the far infrared (FIR) is a characteristic property of planetary nebulae we searched the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) point-source catalogue for confirmatory evidence on the two new possible planetary nebulae S 68 and 248 - 5 identified by Fesen, Gull & Heckathorn (1983) and the high-excitation planetary nebula 76 + 36 detected by Sanduleak (1983). We identify the nebulae 248 - 5 and 76 + 36 with IRAS sources 07404 - 3240 and 17125 + 4919, respectively and have determined their dust temperature, total FIR emission and optical depth. We also set a lower limit ranging in value from 1.2 × 10^-6 to 3.7 × 10^-5 forM _dust /M _bd of the nebula 248 - 5 depending on whether its grain material is silicate or graphite. S 68 could not be identified with an IRAS source.     

Infrared photometry of eight planetary nebulae

We discuss the infrared (IR) (1.25–5 µm) photometry of eight planetary nebulae performed in 1999–2006. For all of the nebulae under study, we have firmly established IR brightness and color variations on time scales shorter than one year and up to 6–8 years. The greatest IR brightness variations were observed in IC 2149, IC 4997, and NGC 7662. Their J magnitudes varied within 0 _. ^m 2–0 _. ^m 25. In the remaining objects, the J magnitude variations did not exceed 0 _. ^m 15. All of the planetary nebulae under study exhibited IR color variations. Based on the IR photometry, we have classified the central regions of the planetary nebula NGC 1514 and of the northern part of NGC 7635 seen through a 12″ aperture as a B(3–7) main-sequence star (NGC 1514) and a ～O9.5 upper-main-sequence star (NGC 7635). The nebulae IC 4997 and NGC 7027 exhibited an excess emission (with respect to the emission from a hot source) at λ > 2.5 µm.     

Spectroscopy of six highly evolved Abell planetary nebulae

We have undertaken visual spectroscopy of the highly evolved planetary nebulae (PNe) A8, A13, A62, A72, A78 and A83 over a wavelength range  4330 < λ < 6830 Å  . This permits us to specify relative line intensities in various sectors of the nebular shells, and to investigate the variation of emission as a function of radius. We determine that the spectrum of the central star of A78 has varied appreciably over a period of 25 yr. There is now evidence for strong P Cygni absorption in the λ4589 and λ5412 transitions of He  ii , implying terminal velocities of the order of   V _∞≅ 3.83 × 10³ km s⁻¹  . We also note that the emission-line profiles of the sources can be used to investigate their intrinsic emission structures. We find that most PNe show appreciable levels of emission throughout their volumes; only one source (A13) possesses a thin-shell structure. Such results are in conformity with evolutionary theory, and probably reflect the consequences of adiabatic cooling in highly evolved outflows.     

The low-excitation structures of planetary nebulae

The low excitation properties of the planetary nebula (PN) NGC 6720 are known to be unusual, and to imply large ring/core emission ratios. We point out that such characteristics are by no means confined to this source alone, and that high ratios may occur in a large fraction of elliptical and circular PNe. Such trends may arise because of the presence of thin low-excitation emission sheets 'wrapped' within and around the primary outflows. The widths of such shells are required to be exceedingly small, and may (for certain cases) be of order ≪10⁻² pc. Such a mechanism appears capable of explaining most of the observed emission properties, and may arise through shock interaction between differing envelopes. Alternative explanations in terms of bipolar or cylindrical outflows are shown to be implausible.     

Detecting planets in planetary nebulae

We examine the possibility of detecting signatures of surviving Uranus/Neptune-like planets inside planetary nebulae. Planets that are not too close to the stars (orbital separation larger than ∼5 au) are likely to survive the entire evolution of the star. As the star turns into a planetary nebula, it has a fast wind and strong ionizing radiation. The interaction of the radiation and wind with a planet may lead to the formation of a compact condensation or tail inside the planetary nebula, which emits strongly in H α , but not in [O  iii ]. The position of the condensation (or tail) will change over a time-scale of ∼10 yr. Such condensations might be detected with currently existing telescopes.     

Modelling and distance determination of planetary nebulae

At present the lack of a good, generally accepted distance scale is the major limitation in the study of Planetary Nebula (PN) evolution and their distribution. We describe our fully self-consistent method to derive the physical parameters of a PN, including its distance, from a set of observables. For this we calculate various models and search for a best fit of the model predictions to the observables. An accurate determination of the angular diameter is important for a good distance determination. We think that we shall achieve an accuracy of 30% in distance. We estimate the error in stellar temperature at less than 15% and the uncertainty in the abundances at 0.10 dex.     

Modeling and distance determination of planetary nebulae

The monthly probability of occurrence of southward (B _z ^– ) component of IMF estimated independent of the sector polarity observed near earth is found to change with the magnitude of solar wind velocity. The above analysis is done for each month during two years around sunspot minima and maxima in cycle 21. The results will be interpreted in terms of association of southwardB _z events with solar wind flows of distinct solar origin such as low and high speed solar wind.     

Orientation of planetary nebulae within the Galaxy

Narrow-band CCD images of 209 axially symmetrical planetary nebulae (PNe) have been examined in order to determine the orientation of their axes within the disc of the Galaxy. The nebulae have been divided into the bipolar (B) and elliptical (E) PNe morphological types, according to the scheme of Corradi &38; Schwarz. In both classes, contrary to the results of Melnick &38; Harwit and Phillips we do not find any strong evidence for non-random orientations of the nebulae in the Galaxy. Compared with previous work in this field, the present study takes advantage of the use of larger and morphologically more homogeneous samples and offers a more rigorous statistical analysis.     

[OIII] Electron temperatures in planetary nebulae

Relative level populations for O III, derived using electron impact excitation rates calculated with the R-matrix code, are used to deduce the electron-temperature-sensitive emission-line ratioR=I(2s ²2p^{2 1}D–2s²2p21S)/I(2s² 2p23P_1,2–2s²2p^{2 1}D) =I(4363 Å)/I(4959 + 5007 Å) for a range ofTe = (7500–20000 K) applicable to planetary nebulae. Electron temperatures deduced from the observed values ofR in several planetary nebulae are in excellent agreement with those determined fromTe-sensitive line ratios in other species, including CIII]/C [II], [NII] and [ArIII], which provides support for the accuracy of the atomic data adopted in the level population calculations.     

Density gradients in Galactic planetary nebulae

Certain hydrodynamic models of planetary nebulae (PNe) suggest that their shells possess appreciable radial density gradients. However, the observational evidence for such gradients is far from clear. On the one hand, Taylor et al. claim to find evidence for radio spectral indices  0.6 < α < 1.8  , a trend which is taken to imply a variation   n _e∝ r ⁻²  in most of their sample of PNe. On the other hand, Siódmiak & Tylenda find no evidence for any such variations in density; shell inhomogeneities, where they occur, are primarily attributable to 'blobs or condensations'.
It will be suggested that both of these analyses are unreliable, and should be treated with a considerable degree of caution. A new analysis within the  log( F (5 GHz)/ F (1.4 GHz))–log( T _B(5 GHz))  plane will be used to show that at least 10–20 per cent of PNe are associated with strong density gradients. We shall also show that the ratio   F (5 GHz)/ F (1.4 GHz)  varies with nebular radius; an evolution that can be interpreted in terms of varying shell masses, and declining electron densities.