G. Ramos-Larios

Searching for heavily obscured post-AGB stars and planetary nebulae - II. Near-IR observations of IRAS sources

This is the second paper in a series aimed to investigate the spectral properties and to determine the nature of a sample of 165 pressumably obscured IRAS post-AGB star and PN candidates. In Ramos-Larios et al. (2009, hereafter Paper I), 2MASS, MSX and Spitzer GLIMPSE archival data were used to search for near-IR counterparts in the 2MASS PSC, but the limited sensitivity of 2MASS observations did not allow the identification of ∼80 sources in the sample.

Searching Heavily Obscured Post-AGB Stars and Planetary Nebulae I. IRAS Candidates with 2MASS PSC Counterparts

Context. The transition from the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) to the planetary nebula (PN) phase is critical in the shaping of PNe. It is suggested that the most asymmetric PNe are the descendant of massive AGB stars. Since these AGB stars are believed to evolve into heavily obscured post-AGB stars and PNe, the compilation of a sample of bona de obscured post-AGB stars and PNe is important to help understand the formation of asymmetric PNe. Aims. We aim to identify and characterize in the IR a large number of post-AGB stars and PNe and to assess their degree of optical obscuration. The improved positions will enable future detailed studies to determine their true nature, whereas the optical and IR properties can be used to investigate their spectral behaviour. Methods. We have used 2MASS, Spitzer GLIMPSE, MSX, and IRAS data in search of the near-IR counterparts of a sample of 165 presumably obscured IRAS post-AGB and PN candidates, and DSS red images to identify the optical counterparts among the objects detected in the near-IR. The IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) in the wavelength range from 1 m to 100 m of the sources with unambiguous near-IR counterparts have been analyzed using appropriate colour-colour diagrams. Results. We have identied the near-IR counterparts of 119 sources out of the 165 IRAS post-AGB and PN candidates in our sample. The improved astrometric coordinates of these sources have allowed us to nd optical counterparts for 59 of them, yielding a reduced sample of 60 optically obscured post-AGB star and PN candidates. Among the 119 sources with near-IR counterparts, only 80 have unambiguous identications in the 2MASS Point Source Catalogue. For these sources, we nd that objects with and without optical counterpart, while having similar mid- and far-IR colours, are segregated in colour-colour diagrams that use the near-IR J band to compute one of the colours.

On the relationship between the H2 emission and the physical structure of planetary nebulae

Mid-IR observations of planetary nebulae (PNe) have revealed diffuse emission associated to their main nebular shells and outer envelopes or haloes. The interpretation of this emission is uncertain because the broad-band mid-IR images may include contributions of different components. In particular, the Spitzer IRAC 8 {\mu}m images, that best reveal these nebular features, can include contributions not only of H2 lines, but also those of ionic species, PAH features, and thermal dust continuum emission. To investigate the nature of the emission detected in mid-IR observations of a sample of 10 PNe, we have obtained narrow-band near-IR H2 {\lambda}2.122 {\mu}m and optical [N II] {\lambda}6584 ?A images. The comparison between these images confrm that a significant fraction of the emission detected in the IRAC 8 {\mu}m images can be attributed to molecular hydrogen, thus confirming the utility of these mid-IR images to investigate the molecular component of PNe. We have also detected H2 emission from PNe whose physical structure cannot be described as bipolar, but rather as ellipsoidal or barrel-like. These detections suggest that, as more sensitive observations of PNe in the H2 {\lambda}2.122 line are acquired, the detection of H2 emission is not exclusive of bipolar PNe, although objects with this morphology are still the brightest H2 emitters. Finally, we remark that the bright H2 emission from the equatorial ring of a bipolar PN does not arise from a photodissociation region shielded from the UV stellar radiation by the ring itself, but from dense knots and clumps embedded within the ionized material of the ring.

Spitzer mid-infrared observations of seven bipolar planetary nebulae

We have investigated the mid-infrared (MIR) and visual structures of seven bipolar planetary nebulae (BPNe), using imaging and spectroscopy acquired using the Spitzer Space Telescope (SST), and the Observatorio Astronomico Nacional in Mexico. The results show that the sources are more extended towards longer MIR wavelengths, as well as having higher levels of surface brightness in the 5.8- and 8.0-μm bands. It is also noted that the 5.8 μm/4.5 μm and 8.0 μm/4.5 μm flux ratios increase with increasing distance from the nuclei of the sources. All of these latter trends may be attributable to emission by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and/or warm dust continua within circumnebular photodissociation regions (PDRs). A corresponding decrease in the flux ratios 8.0 μm/5.8 μm may, by contrast, arise due to changes in the properties of the PAH emitting grains. We note evidence for 8.0 μm ring-like structures in the envelope of NGC 2346, located in a region beyond the minor axis limits of the ionized envelope. An analysis of the inner two rings shows that whilst they have higher surface brightnesses at longer MIR wavelengths, they are relatively stronger (compared to underlying emission) at 3.6 and 4.5 μm. There is also evidence for point-reflection symmetry along the major axis of the outflow. Finally, the fall-off in surface brightness along the nebular minor axis suggests that progenitor mass-loss rates were more-or-less constant. NGC 6905 shows evidence for a centrally located and unresolved MIR emission excess. We show that whilst flux ratios are inconsistent with stellar and ionized gas components of emission, the emission can be explained in terms of shock-excited H 2 , or grain continuum and PAH emission bands. We provide the deepest image so far published of the outer visual structure of NGC 6445, and compare these results with Spitzer imaging at 8.0 μm. The distributions are quite distinct, and may indicate collimation of the outer ionized emission by a cylindrical PDR. We finally note that the MIR colours of the lobes and nuclei of the sources are radically different. It is also shown that 3.6-μm emission in BPNe differs from that for the generality of planetary nebulae. We discuss various mechanisms which may contribute to these differences of colour.

THE UNUSUAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF IONIZED MATERIAL AND MOLECULAR HYDROGEN IN NGC 6881: SIGNPOSTS OF MULTIPLE EVENTS OF BIPOLAR EJECTION IN A PLANETARY NEBULA

The planetary nebula NGC 6881 displays in the optical a quadrupolar morphology consisting of two pairs of highly collimated bipolar lobes aligned along different directions. An additional bipolar ejection is revealed by the hydrogen molecular emission, but its wide hourglass morphology is very different from that of the ionized material. To investigate in detail the spatial distribution of molecular hydrogen and ionized material within NGC 6881, and to determine the prevalent excitation mechanism of the H2 emission, we have obtained new near-IR Brγ and H2 and optical Hα and [N II] images, as well as intermediate resolution JHK spectra. These observations confirm the association of the H2 bipolar lobes to NGC 6881 and find that the prevalent excitation mechanism is collisional. The detailed morphology and very different collimation degree of the H2 and ionized bipolar lobes of NGC 6881 not only imply that multiple bipolar ejections have occurred in this nebula, but also that the dominant shaping agent is different for each bipolar ejection: a bipolar stellar wind most likely produced the H2 lobes, while highly collimated outflows are carving out the ionized lobes into the thick circumstellar envelope. The asymmetry between the southeast and northwest H2 bipolar lobes suggests the interaction of the nebula with an inhomogeneous interstellar medium. We find evidence that places NGC 6881 in the H II region Sh 2-109 along the Orion local spiral arm.

A FUSE View of the Stellar Winds of Planetary Nebula Central Stars

Since the IUE satellite produced a vast collection of high-resolution UV spectra of the central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPNe), there has not been any further systematic study of the stellar winds of these stars. The high spectral resolution, sensitivity and large number of archival observations in the FUSE archive allow the study of the stellar winds of CSPNe in the far-UV domain where lines of species spanning a wide excitation range can be observed. We present here a preliminary analysis of the P Cygni profiles of a sample of ∼60 CSPNe observed by FUSE. P Cygni profiles providing evidence for fast stellar winds with velocities between 200 and 4300 km s–1 have been found in 40 CSPNe. In many cases, this is the first time that fast stellar winds have been reported for these planetary nebulae (PNe). A detailed study of these far-UV spectra is on-going.Since the IUE satellite produced a vast collection of high-resolution UV spectra of central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPNe), there has not been any further systematic study of the stellar winds of these stars. The high spectral resolution, sensitivity and large number of archival observations in the FUSE archive allow the study of the stellar winds of CSPNe in the far UV domain where lines of species spanning a wide excitation range can be observed. We present here a preliminary analysis of the P Cygni profiles of a sample of 60 CSPNe observed by FUSE. P Cygni profiles evidencing fast stellar winds with velocities between 200 and 4,300 km/s have been found in 40 CSPNe. In many cases, this is the first time that fast stellar winds have been reported for these PNe. A detailed study of these far-UV spectra is on-going.

Sub-arcsecond Morphology of Planetary Nebulae

Planetary nebulae (PNe) can be roughly categorized into several broad morphological classes. The high quality images of PNe acquired in recent years, however, have revealed a wealth of fine structures that preclude simplistic models for their formation. Here we present narrow-band, sub-arcsecond images of a sample of relatively large PNe that illustrate the complexity and variety of small-scale structures. This is especially true for bipolar PNe, for which the images reveal multi-polar ejections and, in some cases, suggest turbulent gas motions. Our images also reveal the presence or signs of jet-like outflows in several objects in which this kind of component has not been previously reported.

The mid-infrared colours of Galactic bulge, disc and Magellanic planetary nebulae

We present mid-infrared (MIR) photometry for 367 Galactic disc, bulge and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) planetary nebulae (PNe), determined using data acquired with the Spitzer Space Telescope, and through the Legacy Programs GLIMPSE II (Galactic Legacy Infrared Midplane Survey Extraordinaire II) and SAGE (Surveying the Agents of the Galaxy’s Evolution). This has permitted us to make a comparison between the luminosity functions of bulge and LMC PNe, and between the MIR colours of all three categories of source. It is determined that whilst the 3.6 μm luminosity functions of the LMC and bulge sources are likely to be closely similar, the [3.6]–[5.8] and [5.8]–[8-0] indices of LMC nebulae are different from those of their disc and bulge counterparts. This may arise because of enhanced 6.2 μm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission within the LMC sources, and/or as a result of further, and more radical differences between the spectra of LMC and Galactic PNe. We also determine that the more evolved disc sources listed in the Macquarie/AAO/Strasbourg (MASH) catalogues of Parker et al. and Miszalski et al. have similar colours to those of the less evolved (and higher surface brightness) sources in the catalogue of Acker et al., a result which appears at variance with previous studies of these sources.

Wind-swept clouds and possible triggered star formation associated with the supernova remnant G357.7+0.3

We present evidence for interaction between the supernova remnant (SNR) G357.7+0.3 and nearby molecular clouds, leading to the formation of wind-swept structures and bright emission rims. These features are not observed at visual wavelengths, but are clearly visible in mid-infrared mapping undertaken using the Spitzer Space Telescope. Analysis of one of these clouds, the bright cometary structure G357.46+0.60, suggests that it contains strong polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission features in the 5.8 and 8.0 μm photometric bands, and that these are highly variable over relatively small spatial scales. The source is also associated with strong variations in electron density; a far-infrared continuum peak associated with dust temperatures of ∼30 K; and has previously been observed in the 1720 MHz maser transition of OH, known to be associated with SNR shock excitation of interstellar clouds. This source also appears to contain a young stellar object (YSO) within the bright rim structure, with a steeply rising spectrum between 1.25 and 24 μm. If the formation of this star has been triggered recently by the SNR, then YSO modelling suggests a stellar mass ∼5-10 M ⊙ , and luminosity Lyso ∼10 2 -2 × 10 3 L ⊙ . Finally, it is noted that a further, conical emission region appears to be associated with the Mira V 1139 Sco, and it is suggested that this may represent the case of a Mira outflow interacting with a SNR. If this is the case, however, then the distance to the SNR must be ∼half of that determined from CS J = 2-1 and 3-2 line radial velocities.

WISE morphological study of Wolf-Rayet nebulae

We present a morphological study of nebulae around Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars using archival narrow-band optical and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) infrared images. The comparison among WISE images in different bands and optical images proves to be a very efficient procedure to identify the nebular emission from WR nebulae, and to disentangle it from that of the ISM material along the line of sight. In particular, WR nebulae are clearly detected in the WISE W4 band at 22