36 research outputs found
Suzaku Reveals Helium-burning Products in the X-ray Emitting Planetary Nebula BD+303639
BD+303639, the brightest planetary nebula at X-ray energies, was observed
with Suzaku, an X-ray observatory launched on 2005 July 10. Using the X-ray
Imaging Spectrometer, the K-lines from C VI, O VII, and O VIII were resolved
for the first time, and C/O, N/O, and Ne/O abundance ratios determined. The C/O
and Ne/O abundance ratios exceed the solar value by a factor of at least 30 and
5, respectively. These results indicate that the X-rays are emitted mainly by
helium shell-burning products.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical
Journal Letter
51 Eri and GJ 3305: A 10-15 Myr old binary star system at 30 parsecs
Following the suggestion of Zuckerman et al. (2001, ApJ, 562, L87), we
consider the evidence that 51 Eri (spectral type F0) and GJ 3305 (M0),
historically classified as unrelated main sequence stars in the solar
neighborhood, are instead a wide physical binary system and members of the
young beta Pic moving group (BPMG). The BPMG is the nearest (d < 50 pc) of
several groups of young stars with ages around 10 Myr that are kinematically
convergent with the Oph-Sco-Cen Association (OSCA), the nearest OB star
association. Combining SAAO optical photometry, Hobby-Eberly Telescope
high-resolution spectroscopy, Chandra X-ray data, and UCAC2 catalog kinematics,
we confirm with high confidence that the system is indeed extremely young. GJ
3305 itself exhibits very strong magnetic activity but has rapidly depleted
most of its lithium. The 51 Eri/GJ 3305 system is the westernmost known member
of the OSCA, lying 110 pc from the main subgroups. The system is similar to the
BPMG wide binary HD 172555/CD -64d1208 and the HD 104237 quintet, suggesting
that dynamically fragile multiple systems can survive the turbulent
environments of their natal giant molecular cloud complexes, while still being
imparted high dispersion velocities. Nearby young systems such as these are
excellent targets for evolved circumstellar disk and planetary studies, having
stellar ages comparable to that of the late phases of planet formation.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astronomical
Journal. For a version with high resolution figures, see
http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/edf/51Eri.pd
Chandra X-ray Observatory Detection of Extended X-ray Emission from the Planetary Nebula BD+303639
We report the detection of well resolved, extended X-ray emission from the
young planetary nebula BD+303639 using the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer
(ACIS) aboard the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The X-ray emission from BD+303639
appears to lie within, but is concentrated to one side of, the interior of the
shell of ionized gas seen in high-resolution optical and IR images. The
relatively low X-ray temperature (Tx ~ 3x10^6 K) and asymmetric morphology of
the X-ray emission suggests that conduction fronts are present and/or mixing of
shock-heated and photoionized gas has occurred and, furthermore, hints at the
presence of magnetic fields. The ACIS spectrum suggests that the X-ray emitting
region is enriched in the products of helium burning. Our detection of extended
X-ray emission from BD+303639 demonstrates the power and utility of Chandra
imaging as applied to the study of planetary nebulae.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures; to be published in the Astrophysical Journal
(Letters
The Angular Expansion and Distance of the Planetary Nebula BD+30 3639
The WFPC2 camera aboard the HST was used to obtain images of the planetary
nebula BD+30 3639 at two epochs separated by 5.663 years. The expansion of the
nebula in the H-alpha and [N II] bands has been measured using several methods.
Detailed expansion maps for both emission lines were constructed from nearly
200 almost independent features. There is good agreement between the
(independent) H-alpha and [N II] proper motions. The central velocity split is
measured from the STIS echelle spectra of the C II] 2326A multiplet to be
+/-36.3 km/s at a position angle of 99 degrees. The angular displacement along
this slit position was measured to be 4.25 mas/yr at 2".47 from the center. We
constructed a tilted ellipsoidal shell model by fitting the radio brightness
variation of the 5 and 15 GHz VLA observations, and making use of the
ground-based echelle spectra from Bryce & Mellema (1999), to estimate distance.
Our model has an axial ratio of 1.56, is inclined to the line of sight by 9.7
degrees, and exhibits an expansion in the plane of the sky which is 2/3 that in
the radial direction, leading to a distance of 1.2 kpc. Not all the kinematic
data fits this simple model, so the distance must still be regarded as
uncertain. Based on the recent model atmosphere of Crowther et al. (2002), a
distance of 1.2 kpc implies a stellar luminosity of 4250 L_sun. The kinematic
age of the nebula varies somewhat from region to region; a good average value
is 800 years, while the expansion along the position of the echelle slit gives
about 600 years.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures, accepted by AJ, May 200
X-Ray Emission from Central Binary Systems of Planetary Nebulae
We study the conditions under which a main sequence binary companion to the
central ionizing star of a planetary nebula (PN) might become magnetically
active and thereby display strong X-ray luminosity. Since most PNe are older
than few billion years, any main sequence companion will rotate too slowly to
have magnetic activity and hence bright X-ray emission, unless it is spun-up.
We demonstrate that if the orbital separation during the AGB phase of the PN
progenitor is less than 30-60 AU, main sequence companions in the spectral type
range F7 to M4 will accrete enough angular momentum from the AGB wind to rotate
rapidly, become magnetically active, and exhibit strong X-ray luminosities.
Lower mass M stars and brown dwarfs can also become magnetically active, but
they should have small orbital separations and hence are less likely to survive
the AGB phase of the progenitor. We estimate that 20-30 per cent of elliptical
PNe and 30-50 per cent of bipolar PN are likely to have magnetically active
companions which will reveal themselves in X-ray observations. Re-analysis of
Chandra X-ray Observatory spectroscopy of the compact central source of NGC
7293 indicates that the emitting region of this object possesses abundance
anomalies similar to those of coronally active main-sequence stars.Comment: 15 pages, Submitted to Ap
X-ray Imaging of Planetary Nebulae with Wolf-Rayet-type Central Stars: Detection of the Hot Bubble in NGC 40
We present the results of Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) observations of the
planetary nebulae (PNs) NGC 40 and Hen 2-99. Both PNs feature late-type
Wolf-Rayet central stars that are presently driving fast ~1000 km/s, massive
winds into denser, slow-moving (~10 km/s) material ejected during recently
terminated asymptotic giant branch (AGB) evolutionary phases. Hence, these
observations provide key tests of models of wind-wind interactions in PNs. In
NGC 40, we detect faint, diffuse X-ray emission distributed within a partial
annulus that lies nested within a ~40'' diameter ring of nebulosity observed in
optical and near-infrared images. Hen 2-99 is undetected. The inferred X-ray
temperature (T_X ~10^6 K) and luminosity (L_X ~ 2 X 10^30 ergs/s) of NGC 40 are
the lowest measured thus far for any PN displaying diffuse X-ray emission.
These results, combined with the ring-like morphology of the X-ray emission
from NGC 40, suggest that its X-ray emission arises from a ``hot bubble'' that
is highly evolved and is generated by a shocked, quasi-spherical fast wind from
the central star, as opposed to AGB or post-AGB jet activity. In constrast, the
lack of detectable X-ray emission from Hen 2-99 suggests that this PN has yet
to enter a phase of strong wind-wind shocks.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures to appear in The Astrophysical Journa
ROSAT observations of X-ray emission from planetary nebulae
We have searched the entire ROSAT archive for useful observations to study
X-ray emission from Galactic planetary nebulae (PNs). The search yields a
sample of 63 PNs, which we call the ROSAT PN sample. About 20-25% of this
sample show X-ray emission; these include 13 definite detections and three
possible detections (at a 2-sigma level). All X-ray sources in these PNs are
concentrated near the central stars. Only A 30, BD+30 3639, and NGC 6543 are
marginally resolved by the ROSAT instruments. Three types of X-ray spectra are
seen in PNs. Type 1 consists of only soft X-ray emission (<0.5 keV), peaks at
0.1-0.2 keV, and can be fitted by blackbody models at temperatures 1-2 10^5 K.
Type 2 consists of harder X-ray emission, peaks at >0.5 keV, and can be fitted
by thin plasma emission models at temperatures of a few 10^6 K. Type 3 is a
composite of a bright Type 1 component and a fainter Type 2 component.
Unresolved soft sources with Type 1 spectra or the soft component of Type 3
spectra are most likely photospheric emission from the hot central stars.
Absorption cross sections are large for these soft-energy photons; therefore,
only large, tenuous, evolved PNs with hot central stars and small absorption
column densities have been detected. The origin of hard X-ray emission from PNs
is uncertain. PNs with Type 2 spectra are small, dense, young nebulae with
relatively cool (<<10^5 K) central stars, while PNs with Type 3 X-ray spectra
are large, tenuous, evolved nebulae with hot central stars. The hard X-ray
luminosities are also different between these two types of PNs, indicating
perhaps different origins of their hard X-ray emission. Future Chandra and XMM
observations with high spatial and spectral resolution will help to understand
the origin of hard X-ray emission from PNs.Comment: To be published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 21
pages, 7 figures, 5 table
Iron depletion in the hot bubbles in planetary nebulae
We have searched for the emission from \fex and \fexiv that is expected from
the gas emitting in diffuse X-rays in \bd, NGC 6543, NGC 7009, and NGC 7027.
Neither line was detected in any object. Models that fit the X-ray spectra of
these objects indicate that the \fex emission should be below our detection
thresholds, but the predicted \fexiv emission exceeds our observed upper limits
(one sigma) by factors of at least 3.5 to 12. The best explanation for the
absence of \fexiv is that the X-ray plasma is depleted in iron. In principle,
this result provides a clear chemical signature that may be used to determine
the origin of the X-ray gas in either the nebular gas or the stellar wind. At
present, though various lines of evidence appear to favour a nebular origin,
the lack of atmospheric and nebular iron abundances in the objects studied here
precludes a definitive conclusion.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figure
High-Resolution Spectroscopy of Some Very Active Southern Stars
We have obtained high-resolution echelle spectra of 18 solar-type stars that
an earlier survey showed to have very high levels of Ca II H and K emission.
Most of these stars belong to close binary systems, but 5 remain as probable
single stars or well-separated binaries that are younger than the Pleiades on
the basis of their lithium abundances and H-alpha emission. Three of these
probable single stars also lie more than 1 magnitude above the main sequence in
a color-magnitude diagram, and appear to have ages of 10 to 15 Myr. Two of
them, HD 202917 and HD 222259, also appear to have a kinematical association
with the pre-main sequence multiple system HD 98800.Comment: 25 figures, 3 table
Three-dimensional holographic optical manipulation through a high-numerical-aperture soft-glass multimode fibre
Holographic optical tweezers (HOT) hold great promise for many applications in biophotonics, allowing the creation and measurement of minuscule forces on biomolecules, molecular motors and cells. Geometries used in HOT currently rely on bulk optics, and their exploitation in vivo is compromised by the optically turbid nature of tissues. We present an alternative HOT approach in which multiple three-dimensional (3D) traps are introduced through a high-numerical-aperture multimode optical fibre, thus enabling an equally versatile means of manipulation through channels having cross-section comparable to the size of a single cell. Our work demonstrates real-time manipulation of 3D arrangements of micro-objects, as well as manipulation inside otherwise inaccessible cavities. We show that the traps can be formed over fibre lengths exceeding 100 mm and positioned with nanometric resolution. The results provide the basis for holographic manipulation and other high-numerical-aperture techniques, including advanced microscopy, through single-core-fibre endoscopes deep inside living tissues and other complex environments