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arXiv · 1810.06712

Science with the ngVLA: Planetary Nebulae

Joel H. Kastner·Albert Ziljstra·Bruce Balick·Raghvendra Sahai
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Abstract

Planetary nebulae (PNe) represent the near endpoints of evolution for stars of initial mass $\sim$1-8 $M_\odot$, wherein the envelope of an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star becomes photodissociated and ionized by high-energy radiation from a newly emerging white dwarf that was the progenitor star's core. It is increasingly evident that most PNe are descended from binary systems. PNe hence provide unique insight into a diverse range of astrophysical phenomena, including the influence of companion stars on the late stages of stellar evolution; stellar wind interactions and shocks; the physics and chemistry of photoionized plasmas and photon-dominated regions (PDRs); and enrichment of the ISM in the products of intermediate-mass stellar nucleosynthesis. We describe specific examples of the potential impact of the ngVLA in each of these areas.

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Joel H. Kastner, Albert Ziljstra, Bruce Balick, Raghvendra Sahai. 2018-10-15. Science with the ngVLA: Planetary Nebulae. https://arxiv.org/abs/1810.06712

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