A synchrotron jet from a post-asymptotic giant branch star

The evolution of low- and intermediate-initial-mass stars beyond the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) remains poorly understood. High-velocity outflows launched shortly after the AGB phase are thought to be the primary shaping mechanism of bipolar and multipolar planetary nebulae. However, little is known about the launching and driving mechanism for these jets, whose momentum and energy often far exceed the energy that can be provided by radiation pressure alone. Here, we report on the direct evidence of a magnetically collimated jet shaping the bipolar morphology of the circumstellar envelope of a post-AGB star. We present radio continuum observations of the post-AGB star IRAS 15445-5449 (OH 326.5-0.4) which has water masers tracing a fast bipolar outflow. Our observations confirm the earlier observed steep negative spectral index of the spectral energy distribution (SED) above similar to 3 GHz, and resolve, for the first time, the emission to originate from a radio jet, proving the existence of such jets around a post-AGB star. The SED is consistent with a synchrotron jet embedded in a sheath of thermal electrons. We find a close correspondence between the extent and direction of the synchrotron jet and the bipolar shape of the object observed at other wavelengths, suggesting that the jet is responsible for the source morphology. The jet is collimated by a magnetic field of the order of mG at almost 7000 au from the central star. We recover observations from the Australia Telescope Compact Array archive that indicate that the emission measure of the thermal component has increased by a factor of 3 between 1998 and 2005 after which it has remained constant. The short time-scale evolution of the radio emission suggests a short lifetime for the jet. The observations of a synchrotron jet from a post-AGB star with characteristics similar to those from protostars and young stellar objects, for instance, suggest that magnetic launching and collimation is a common feature of astrophysical jets

First detection of methanol towards a post-AGB object, HD101584

The circumstellar environments of objects on the asymptotic giant branch and beyond are rich in molecular species. Nevertheless, methanol has never been detected in such an object, and is therefore often taken as a clear signpost for a young stellar object. However, we report the first detection of CH3OH in a post-AGB object, HD101584, using ALMA. Its emission, together with emissions from CO, SiO, SO, CS, and H2CO, comes from two extreme velocity spots on either side of the object where a high-velocity outflow appears to interact with the surrounding medium. We have derived molecular abundances, and propose that the detected molecular species are the effect of a post-shock chemistry where circumstellar grains play a role. We further provide evidence that HD101584 was a low-mass, M-type AGB star

Rapid angular expansion of the ionized core of CRL 618

Context. During the transition from the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) to the planetary nebulae phase the circumstellar envelopes of most low- and intermediate-mass stars experience a dramatic change in morphology. CRL 618 exhibits characteristics of both an AGB and post-AGB star. It also displays a spectacular array of bipolar lobes with a dense equatorial region, which makes it an excellent object for studying the development of asymmetries in evolved stars. In recent decades, an elliptical compact HII region located in the center of the nebula has been seen to be increasing in size and flux. This seems to be due to the ionization of the circumstellar envelope by the central star, and it probably indicates the beginning of the planetary nebula phase for CRL 618. Aims. We aim to determine the physical conditions under which the ionization of the circumstellar envelope of CRL 618 began to take place as well as the subsequent propagation of the ionization front. Methods. We analyzed interferometric radio continuum data at ~5 and 22 GHz from observations carried out at seven epochs with the VLA. We traced the flux increase of the ionized region over a period of ~26 years. We measured the dimensions of the HII region directly from the brightness distribution images to determine the increase of its size over time. For one of the epochs we analyzed observations at six frequencies from which we estimated the electron density distribution. We carried out model calculations of the spectral energy distribution at two different epochs to corroborate our observational results. Results. We found that the radio continuum flux and the size of the ionized region have been increasing monotonically in the past three decades. The size of the major axis of the HII region shows a dependance on frequency, which has been interpreted as a result of the gradient of the electron density in this direction. The growth of the HII region is due to the expansion of an ionized wind whose mass-loss rate increased continuously for a period of ~100 years until a few decades ago, when the mass-loss rate experienced a sudden decline. Our results indicate that the circumstellar envelope began to be ionized around 1971, which marks the start of the planetary nebula phase of CRL 618. © ESO, 2013

Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration Secondary to BRAF Mutant Melanoma Metastasis from an Occult Primary Cancer

Melanoma metastasis from an unknown primary cancer has an incidence of 3.2% among melanoma patients. Furthermore, paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) are rare, occurring in 1-3% of patients with malignancies. Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) is one of the classic PNS and is characterized by acute or subacute onset of ataxia and/or presence of onconeural antibodies. A 61-year-old male with ataxia, vertigo, and headache later developed dysarthria, multidirectional nystagmus, hyperactive delirium, auditory hallucinations, psychomotor agitation, and myoclonus. Toxicological, metabolic, infectious, and autoimmune etiologies were assessed and reported negative. An osteolytic lesion was observed in the right iliac crest via computed tomography (CT). A positron emission tomography-CT reported increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake of a right iliac and right inguinal ganglion. After biopsy of the right inguinal ganglion, a BRAF mutation-positive melanoma metastasis from an occult primary cancer was diagnosed. Dermatologic, ophthalmologic, and endoscopic gastrointestinal assessment did not reveal a primary malignant melanoma. The patient's movement disorders and neuropsychiatric symptoms improved with quetiapine, prednisone, azathioprine, and cyclophosphamide. Oncological management was conducted with MAPK pathway inhibitors (i.e., dabrafenib and trametinib). Movement disorders associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms are complex to diagnose. PNS are rare and often associated with antibodies against neural antigens expressed by the tumor. The case presented above describes a patient with a BRAF-positive malignant melanoma metastasis from an occult primary associated with PCD - to the best of our knowledge, the first reported in the literature.</p

The first synchrotron jet resolved towards a post-AGB star

Although bipolar and multipolar morphologies towards a number of post-asymptotic giant branch stars have been observed, not much is known about the mechanisms which lead to the launching and driven of the observed high-velocity, collimated outflows. Due to the scarcity of direct observational evidence, the actual mechanism shaping the circumstellar envelope of post-asymptotic giant branch stars is still unknown. In this talk, we present the results of radio continuum observations towards the post-asymptotic giant branch star IRAS 15445-5449. The measured flux density yield a steep negative spectral index, which is unambiguous signature of synchrotron radiation. We present the first resolved images of the synchrotron emission, and show that the emission originates in a collimated jet. This suggest that the high-velocity outflow is magnetically collimated. The close correspondence between the shape of the synchrotron emission and the bipolar shape of the object observed at other wavelenghts, suggest that the jet is responsible for the source morphology

The first synchrotron jet resolved towards a post-AGB star

Although bipolar and multipolar morphologies towards a number of post-asymptotic giant branch stars have been observed, not much is known about the mechanisms which lead to the launching and driven of the observed high-velocity, collimated outflows. Due to the scarcity of direct observational evidence, the actual mechanism shaping the circumstellar envelope of post-asymptotic giant branch stars is still unknown. In this talk, we present the results of radio continuum observations towards the post-asymptotic giant branch star IRAS 15445-5449. The measured flux density yield a steep negative spectral index, which is unambiguous signature of synchrotron radiation. We present the first resolved images of the synchrotron emission, and show that the emission originates in a collimated jet. This suggest that the high-velocity outflow is magnetically collimated. The close correspondence between the shape of the synchrotron emission and the bipolar shape of the object observed at other wavelenghts, suggest that the jet is responsible for the source morphology

CRL 618: A Nascent Planetary Nebula

CRL 618 is an object that exhibits characteristics of both AGB and post-AGB star. It also displays a spectacular array of bipolar lobes with a dense equatorial region, which makes it an excellent object to study the development of asymmetries in evolved stars. In the recent decades, an elliptical compact HII region located in the center of the nebula has been seen to be increasing in size and flux. This seems to be due to the ionization of the circumstellar envelope by the central star, and it would be indicating the beginning of the planetary nebula phase for CRL 618. We analyzed interferometric radio continuum data at ~5 and 22 GHz from observations carried out at seven epochs with the VLA. We traced the increase of the flux of the ionized region over a period of ~26 years. We measured the dimensions of the HII region directly from the brightness distribution images to determine the increase of its size over time. For one of the epochs we analyzed observations at six frequencies from which we estimated the electron density distribution. We carried out model calculations of the spectral energy distribution at two different epochs to corroborate our observational results. We found that the radio continuum flux and the size of the ionized region have been increasing monotonically in the last three decades. The size of the major axis of the HII region shows a dependance with frequency, which has been interpreted as a result of a gradient of the electron density in this direction. The growth of the HII region is due to the expansion of an ionized wind whose mass-loss rate increased continuously for a period of ~100 years until a few decades ago, when the mass-loss rate experienced a sudden decline. Our results indicate that the beginning of the ionization of the circumstellar envelope began around 1971, which marks the start of the planetary nebula phase of CRL 618

CRL 618: A Nascent Planetary Nebula

CRL 618 is an object that exhibits characteristics of both AGB and post-AGB star. It also displays a spectacular array of bipolar lobes with a dense equatorial region, which makes it an excellent object to study the development of asymmetries in evolved stars. In the recent decades, an elliptical compact HII region located in the center of the nebula has been seen to be increasing in size and flux. This seems to be due to the ionization of the circumstellar envelope by the central star, and it would be indicating the beginning of the planetary nebula phase for CRL 618. We analyzed interferometric radio continuum data at ~5 and 22 GHz from observations carried out at seven epochs with the VLA. We traced the increase of the flux of the ionized region over a period of ~26 years. We measured the dimensions of the HII region directly from the brightness distribution images to determine the increase of its size over time. For one of the epochs we analyzed observations at six frequencies from which we estimated the electron density distribution. We carried out model calculations of the spectral energy distribution at two different epochs to corroborate our observational results. We found that the radio continuum flux and the size of the ionized region have been increasing monotonically in the last three decades. The size of the major axis of the HII region shows a dependance with frequency, which has been interpreted as a result of a gradient of the electron density in this direction. The growth of the HII region is due to the expansion of an ionized wind whose mass-loss rate increased continuously for a period of ~100 years until a few decades ago, when the mass-loss rate experienced a sudden decline. Our results indicate that the beginning of the ionization of the circumstellar envelope began around 1971, which marks the start of the planetary nebula phase of CRL 618

Limits to the magnetic field in the planetary nebula NGC 246 from faraday rotation

We present radio continuum observations of the linearly polarized extragalactic source J0047-1150, whose line of sight traverses the galactic planetary nebula NGC 246. We determine the position angle of the electric vector at seven frequencies between 1.3 and 1.8 GHz, finding no evidence of Faraday rotation and setting a 4-sigma upper limit to the rotation measure of 9.6 rad m(-2), which implies an upper limit to the average line-of-sight component of the magnetic field in NGC 246 of 1.3 mu G. However, we show that the rotation measure across a source with a dipolar magnetic field morphology practically cancels out. Therefore, if the magnetic field has this morphology, the local values of the magnetic field in NGC 246 could be much larger and will not be evident in a Faraday rotation experiment