4,407 research outputs found
The detached dust and gas shells around the carbon star U Ant
Context: Geometrically thin, detached shells of gas have been found around a
handful of carbon stars. --Aims: Previous observations of scattered stellar
light in the circumstellar medium around the carbon star U Ant were taken
through filters centred on the resonance lines of K and Na. These observations
could not separate the scattering by dust and atoms. The aim of this paper is
to remedy this situation. --Methods: We have obtained polarization data on
stellar light scattered in the circumstellar medium around U Ant through
filters which contain no strong lines, making it possible to differentiate
between the two scattering agents. Kinematic, as well as spatial, information
on the gas shells were obtained through high-resolution echelle spectrograph
observations of the KI and NaD lines. --Results: We confirm the existence of
two detached shells around U Ant. The inner shell (at a radius of approx 43"
and a width of approx 2") consists mainly of gas, while the outer shell (at a
radius of approx 50" and a width of approx 7") appears to consist exclusively
of dust. Both shells appear to have an over-all spherical geometry. The gas
shell mass is estimated to be 2x10^-3 M(Sun), while the mass of the dust shell
is estimated to be 5x10^-5 M(Sun). The derived expansion velocity, from the KI
and NaD lines, of the gas shell, 19.5 km/s, agrees with that obtained from CO
radio line data. The inferred shell age is 2700 years. There is structure, e.g.
in the form of arcs, inside the gas shell, but it is not clear whether these
are due to additional shells. --Conclusions: Our results support the hypothesis
that the observed geometrically thin, detached shells around carbon stars are
the results of brief periods of intense mass loss, probably associated with
thermal pulses, and subsequent wind-wind interactions
ALMA view of the circumstellar environment of the post-common-envelope-evolution binary system HD101584
We study the circumstellar evolution of the binary HD101584, consisting of a
post-AGB star and a low-mass companion, which is most likely a
post-common-envelope-evolution system. We used ALMA observations of the 12CO,
13CO, and C18O J=2-1 lines and the 1.3mm continuum to determine the morphology,
kinematics, masses, and energetics of the circumstellar environment. The
circumstellar medium has a bipolar hour-glass structure, seen almost pole-on,
formed by an energetic jet, about 150 km/s. We conjecture that the
circumstellar morphology is related to an event that took place about 500 year
ago, possibly a capture event where the companion spiraled in towards the AGB
star. However, the kinetic energy of the accelerated gas exceeds the released
orbital energy, and, taking into account the expected energy transfer
efficiency of the process, the observed phenomenon does not match current
common-envelope scenarios. This suggests that another process must augment, or
even dominate, the ejection process. A significant amount of material resides
in an unresolved region, presumably in the equatorial plane of the binary
system.Comment: A&A Letter, accepte
Molecular gas in high-mass filament WB673
We studied the distribution of dense gas in a filamentary molecular cloud
containing several dense clumps. The center of the filament is given by the
dense clump WB673. The clumps are high-mass and intermediate-mass star-forming
regions. We observed CS(2-1), 13CO(1-0), C18O(1-0) and methanol lines at 96GHz
toward WB673 with the Onsala Space Observatory 20-m telescope. We found CS(2-1)
emission in the inter-clump medium so the clumps are physically connected and
the whole cloud is indeed a filament. Its total mass is M and
mass-to-length ratio is 360 Mpc from 13CO(1-0) data.
Mass-to-length ratio for the dense gas is Mpc from
CS(2-1) data. The PV-diagram of the filament is V-shaped. We estimated physical
conditions in the molecular gas using methanol lines. Location of the filament
on the sky between extended shells suggests that it could be a good example to
test theoretical models of formation of the filaments via multiple compression
of interstellar gas by supersonic waves
Odin observations of ammonia in the Sgr A +50 km/s Cloud and Circumnuclear Disk
Context. The Odin satellite is now into its sixteenth year of operation, much
surpassing its design life of two years. One of the sources which Odin has
observed in great detail is the Sgr A Complex in the centre of the Milky Way.
Aims. To study the presence of NH3 in the Galactic Centre and spiral arms.
Methods. Recently, Odin has made complementary observations of the 572 GHz NH3
line towards the Sgr A +50 km/s Cloud and Circumnuclear Disk (CND). Results.
Significant NH3 emission has been observed in both the +50 km/s Cloud and the
CND. Clear NH3 absorption has also been detected in many of the spiral arm
features along the line of sight from the Sun to the core of our Galaxy.
Conclusions. The very large velocity width (80 km/s) of the NH3 emission
associated with the shock region in the southwestern part of the CND may
suggest a formation/desorption scenario similar to that of gas-phase H2O in
shocks/outflows.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 3 table
The detached dust shells around the carbon AGB stars R Scl and V644 Sco
Detached shells are believed to be created during a thermal pulse, and
constrain the time scales and physical properties of one of the main drivers of
late stellar evolution. We aim at determining the morphology of the detached
dust shells around the carbon AGB stars R Scl and V644 Sco, and compare this to
observations of the detached gas shells. We observe the polarised,
dust-scattered stellar light around these stars using the PolCor instrument
mounted on the ESO 3.6m telescope. Observations were done with a coronographic
mask to block out the direct stellar light. The polarised images clearly show
the detached shells. Using a dust radiative transfer code to model the
dust-scattered polarised light, we constrain the radii and widths of the shells
to 19.5 arcsec and 9.4 arcsec for the detached dust shells around R Scl and
V644 Sco, respectively. Both shells have an overall spherical symmetry and
widths of approx. 2 arcsec. For R Scl we can compare the observed dust emission
directly with high spatial-resolution maps of CO(3-2) emission from the shell
observed with ALMA. We find that the dust and gas coincide almost exactly,
indicating a common evolution. The data presented here for R Scl are the most
detailed observations of the entire dusty detached shell to date. For V644 Sco
these are the first direct measurements of the detached shell. Also here we
find that the dust most likely coincides with the gas shell. The observations
are consistent with a scenario where the detached shells are created during a
thermal pulse. The determined radii and widths will constrain hydrodynamical
models describing the pre-pulse mass loss, the thermal pulse, and post-pulse
evolution of the star
Non-equilibrium chemistry and dust formation in AGB stars as probed by SiO line emission
We have performed high spatial resolution observations of SiO line emission
for a sample of 11 AGB stars using the ATCA, VLA and SMA interferometers.
Detailed radiative transfer modelling suggests that there are steep chemical
gradients of SiO in their circumstellar envelopes. The emerging picture is one
where the radial SiO abundance distribution starts at an initial high
abundance, in the case of M-stars consistent with LTE chemistry, that
drastically decreases at a radius of ~1E15 cm. This is consistent with a
scenario where SiO freezes out onto dust grains. The region of the wind with
low abundance is much more extended, typically ~1E16 cm, and limited by
photodissociation. The surpisingly high SiO abundances found in carbon stars
requires non-equilibrium chemical processes.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure. To be published in the proceedings of the
conference "Why Galaxies Care about AGB Stars", held in Vienna, August 7-11,
2006; F. Kerschbaum, C. Charbonnel, B. Wing eds, ASP Conf.Ser. in pres
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