We report the results from a pilot search for radio recombination line (RRL)
emission at millimeter wavelengths in a small sample of pre-planetary nebulae
(pPNe) and young PNe (yPNe) with emerging central ionized regions. Observations
of the H30\alpha, H31a, H39a, H41a, H48b, H49b, H51b, and H55g lines at 1 and
3mm have been performed with the IRAM 30 m radio telescope. These lines are
excellent probes of the dense inner (<~150 au) and heavily obscured regions of
these objects, where the yet unknown agents for PN-shaping originate. We
detected mm-RRLs in three objects: CRL 618, MWC 922, and M 2-9. For CRL 618,
the only pPN with previous published detections of H41a, H35a, and H30a
emission, we find significant changes in the line profiles indicating that
current observations are probing regions of the ionized wind with larger
expansion velocities and mass-loss rate than ~29 years ago. In the case of MWC
922, we observe a drastic transition from single-peaked profiles at 3mm to
double-peaked profiles at 1mm, which is consistent with maser amplification of
the highest frequency lines; the observed line profiles are compatible with
rotation and expansion of the ionized gas, probably arranged in a disk+wind
system around a ~5-10 Msun central mass. In M 2-9, the mm-RRL emission appears
to be tracing a recent mass outburst by one of the stars of the central binary
system. We present the results from non-LTE line and continuum radiative
transfer models, which enables us to constrain the structure, kinematics, and
physical conditions (electron temperature and density) of the ionized cores of
our sample. (abridged). We deduce mass-loss rates of ~1e-6-1e-7 Msun/yr, which
are significantly higher than the values adopted by stellar evolution models
currently in use and would result in a transition from the asymptotic giant
branch to the PN phase faster than hitherto assumed.Comment: Accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics. 28 pages, including figure
