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Denise R. Gonçalves

Publications and source records attributed to Denise R. Gonçalves.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Planetary Nebula Central Stars as Tracers of Planetary Nebula-Star Cluster Associations in the Galaxy

Planetary nebulae (PNe) that are physically associated with star clusters are rare but crucial for stellar evolution studies because they allow their initial and final stellar properties to be determined independently, contributing to constraints on the initial-to-final-mass relation (IFMR), which traces stellar mass loss. Although the identification of such pairs is essential, most reported cases have been identified incidentally rather than through systematic searches. Here, we attempt to uncover new such associations in our Galaxy employing literature PN central stars (CSs) and star cluster catalogues. Exploring relevant angular positions on the sky and kinematic Gaia DR3 data, we identify 38 candidate CS-cluster pairs. The components of eight of these pairs present consistent interstellar extinctions, and their CS properties are compatible with stellar evolution models. Two of these candidate pairs are already reported in the literature as true associations. We evaluate separately the remaining six pairs using literature PN observational data, assessing the likelihood of each pair being a true association. The initial and final masses of our best candidates are mostly consistent with the latest IFMR predictions and confirmed cluster-PNe points. An additional 46 CS-cluster pairs have components with compatible angular positions but lack kinematic CS data and are thus presented separately. More data are needed for a precise estimation of the physical parameters of most of our candidates and to confirm these associations, which will be addressed in future studies.

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WALLABY pilot survey: Blinded by the light -- discovery of a fourth member in the ESO 179-013 system

We present new ASKAP/WALLABY HI observations of the nearby dwarf galaxy system ESO 179-013 (Kathryn's Wheel), the nearest known collisional ring galaxy, located 10 Mpc away in the Local Void. The system is composed of three previously known dwarf galaxies embedded in a large HI envelope, with a newly discovered fourth member identified through HI and radio continuum emission behind a bright foreground binary. Galaxy D exhibits the highest star formation rate in the group and deviates from the HI mass-diameter relation, suggesting it is a compact, gas-rich dwarf missed due to stellar foreground contamination. The HI data reveal for the first time an extended HI envelope around the whole system, the neutral gas counterpart of the star-forming ring and gas bridges among members, suggesting a more complex interaction history than the previously proposed collisional ring scenario. ESO 179-013 thus provides a rare opportunity to study hierarchical assembly and gas dynamics in underdense environments and demonstrates the power of blind HI surveys in identifying faint members of low-mass compact groups.

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J-PLUS: The planetary nebula population of M 33

In this pilot study, we investigate the PN population in M~33, a nearby spiral galaxy ($\simeq 840$~kpc), using data from the DR3 of the Javalambre-Photometric Local Universe Survey (J-PLUS), a 12-band photometric dataset extensively used to identify H$α$ line emitters. From the 143 known PNe of M~33, the photometry of only 13 are present in the J-PLUS catalog, as available on the J-PLUS portal. With the aim of recovering a larger fraction of the M~33 PN population, the software SExtractor is adopted to extract the sources in the J-PLUS images and obtain the photometric data for the PNe known in the literature, performing PSF photometry when possible. With this procedure the photometry of 98 PNe was obtained using H$α$ image as detection image, including the 13 already present in the J-PLUS catalog. Using diagnostic color-color diagrams (DCCDs) based on criteria developed for Milky Way halo PNe, we identified 16 sources with PN-like colors. Cross-match with existing catalogs revealed that most of these candidates are H II regions, though one source remains unidentified. Additionally, analyzing their full width at half maximum, most of them would not be PN candidates. This highlights the method's ability to select emission-line objects but also underscores the challenge of distinguishing PNe from contaminants using photometry alone. The J-PLUS colors of 98 known PNe were analyzed, together with literature information on their radial velocities, resulting in the identification of one possible halo PN. This is the first paper which aims at detecting extragalactic PNe in multi-band surveys such as J-PLUS, the Southern Local Universe Survey (S-PLUS) and the Javalambre-Physics of the Accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS), paving the way for similar studies in these surveys for other nearby galaxies, which lack catalogs of known PNe.

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PHR~J1724-3859: A Bipolar Planetary Nebula in Open Cluster Trumpler 25

Planetary nebulae (PNe) studies are essential for understanding late stellar evolution of low-to-intermediate mass stars. PNe in open clusters (OC) are rare but valuable since their study directly links their properties to those of their progenitors, something that cannot be achieved for field PNe. Here, we report the identification of one more OC-PN association to add to the small sample of, now, five pairs. The physical properties of the host cluster, PN and its central star (CSPN) have been explored using high and intermediate-resolution spectral and deep photometric data. The close agreement of the radial velocities of the PN and host cluster, together with concordance of reddening and distance, show that the PN PHR~J1724-3859 is highly likely to be physically associated with the OC Trumpler~25. Deep photometric data allowed clear identification of the CSPN. We find a CSPN effective temperature of around 250 kK and a nebular kinematic age of 23 kyrs, both at the extreme end, like the other members of this small class. The progenitor and final CSPN masses have been estimated to be 5.12$_{-0.15}^{+0.16}$ $M_\odot$ and 0.95$\pm$0.12 $M_\odot$ respectively. These latest results agree with the emerging trend for our other OC-PNe, falling below, but approximately parallel to, the latest initial-to-final-mass relation estimates derived from cluster white dwarfs and has important implications for stellar evolution models. All OC-PNe also possess some other common properties (e.g. all are Type-I PNe and bipolars) to be explored in future studies.

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The Local Group Symbiotic Star Population and its Tenuous Link with Type Ia Supernovae

Binary stars are gravitationally bound stellar systems where the evolution of each component can significantly influence the evolution of its companion and the system as a whole. In certain cases, the evolution of these systems can lead to the formation of a red giant-white dwarf system, which may exhibit symbiotic characteristics. The primary goal of this work is to contribute in a statistical way to the estimation of the symbiotic system (SySt) population in the Milky Way and in the dwarf galaxies of the Local Group (LG). Additionally, we aim to infer the maximum contribution of SySt to Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) events. Given the significant discrepancies in previous estimates, we propose two distinct approaches to constrain the expected SySt population: one empirical and another theoretical. These approaches are designed to provide a robust estimation of the SySt population. For the Milky Way, we utilized position and velocity data of known SySts to determine their distribution. Based on these properties, we constrained the lower limit for the Galactic SySt population in the range of 800-4,100. Our theoretical approach, which relies on the properties of zero-age main-sequence binaries and known binary evolutionary paths, suggests a SySt population of $(53\pm6)\times10^3$ SySt in the Galaxy. The statistical SySt populations for LG dwarf galaxies are one to four orders of magnitude lower, primarily dependent on the galaxies' bolometric luminosity and, to a lesser extent, their binary fraction and metallicity. In this work, the contribution of the single-degenerate channel of SNe Ia from symbiotic progenitors is estimated to be of the order of 1% for the Galaxy.

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The physical association of planetary nebula NGC 2818 with open cluster NGC 2818A

Planetary nebulae (PNe) that are physical members of open star clusters (OCs) are valuable for stellar evolution studies. They are extremely rare, with only three such instances confirmed in our Galaxy. Here, we confirm the physical association of PN NGC 2818 with OC NGC 2818A, an association long debated in the literature, adding a fourth object to the sample of rare OC-PN pairs. The physical properties of the PN can then be linked to those of its progenitor star. Using GHOST/Gemini high-resolution nebular spectra, we measured the PN systemic radial velocity to compare it with that of the putative host cluster, determined from Gaia. We estimated the physical parameters of both the OC and the PN using our data, together with estimates from previous studies and theoretical cluster isochrones and evolutionary tracks to show they are compatible. The precise, systemic radial velocity of the PN that was determined, is consistent among the errors with that of the OC and its 1 km/s associated velocity dispersion, a primary requirement for cluster membership. We have determined other physical parameters of the PN and the OC, such as age and distance, which also match within the errors. These results present compelling evidence for the physical association of the PN and the OC. The PN age was found to be 11 kyr and the effective temperature of its central star was estimated as 130 kK. The initial and final masses of the progenitor star were determined to be 2.33$\pm$0.10 Msol and 0.58$\pm$0.10 Msol respectively. We plotted the resulting data point on the latest initial-to-final-mass relation. This new data point agrees with the previously published trends and further delineates the 'kink' found at relatively low initial masses. All four OC-PN associations, identified thus far, share a number of common properties. These rare cases merit detailed OC-PN studies and work to further extend the sample.

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[Fe II] 1.644$μ$m imaging survey of planetary nebulae with low-ionisation structures

Low-ionisation structures (LISs) are commonly found in planetary nebulae (PNe) but they are still poorly understood. The recent discovery of unforeseen molecular hydrogen gas (H2) has changed what we think we know about these microstructures and PNe. For an overall understanding of LISs, an [Fe II] 1.644$μ$m imagery survey in PNe with LISs was carried out with the aim to detect the [Fe II] 1.644$μ$m emission line, a common tracer of shocks. We present the first detection of [Fe II] 1.644$μ$m line directly associated with the LISs in four out of five PNe. The theoretical H I 12-4 recombination line is also computed either from the Br$γ$ or the H$β$ line and subtracted from the observed narrowband line fluxes. [Fe II] 1.644$μ$m flux ranges from 1 to 40x10$^{-15}$ ergs cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ and the surface brightness from 2 to 90x10$^{-5}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ sr$^{-1}$. The R(Fe)=[Fe II] 1.644$μ$m/Br$γ$ line ratio is also computed and varies between 0.5 and 7. In particular, the [Fe II] 1.644$μ$m line is detected in NGC 6543 (R(Fe)<0.15), the outer pairs of LISs in NGC 7009 (R(Fe)<0.25), the jet-like LISs in IC 4634 (R(Fe)$\sim$1) and in several LISs in NGC 6571 (2<R(Fe)<7). The low R(Fe) in NGC 6543 is attributed to the UV radiation from the central star. Contrarily, the higher values in NGC 6571 and IC 4634 are indicative to shocks. The moderate R(Fe) in NGC 7009 likely indicates the contribution of both mechanisms.

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Detection of the [C I] $λ$8727 emission line. Low-ionization structures in NGC 7009

We report the first spatially resolved detection of the near-infrared [C I] $λ$8727 emission from the outer pair of low-ionization structures in the planetary nebula NGC 7009 from data obtained by the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer integral field unit. This atomic carbon emission marks the transition zone between ionized and neutral gas, and for the first time offers direct evidence that LISs are photodominated regions. The outer LIS pair exhibits intense [C I] $λ$8727 emission, but He I $λ$8733 is absent. Conversely, the inner pair of knots shows both lines, likely due to the host nebula emission. Furthermore, the [C I] $λ$8727 line is absent in the host nebula emission, but He I $λ$8733 is present. Although the origin of the [C I] $λ$8727 line is still debated, its detection supports the scenario of photoevaporated dense molecular clumps.

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Photometric candidate selection and spectroscopic confirmation of new PNe and SySts in the Galactic plane

About 3,500 planetary nebulae (PNe) are currently known in the Milky Way, which shows a great discrepancy with the expected number for these objects, regardless of the reference used, $33-59 \times 10^{3}$. The same holds for symbiotic stars (SySts) as well, since the expected number in the Galaxy ($3-400 \times 10^{3}$) differs considerably from the amount of known ones (approximately 300). Studies on PNe and SySts are of great importance because they provide vital clues to the understanding of the late-stage of stellar evolution for low-to-intermediate mass stars. In addition, these classes of objects play a large role in the chemical evolution of the Galaxy through the ejection of their material to the interstellar medium (ISM), enriching it with the various chemical elements produced throughout their evolution. This project aims to contribute to the detection of new PNe and SySts in the Galaxy, thus decreasing the discrepancy between the observed and theoretical populations. Using simultaneously the third data release from the optical survey VPHAS+ (The VST Photometric H$α$ Survey of the Southern Galactic Plane and Bulge), which maps the southern hemisphere of the Galaxy's plane with the $r$, $i$, and H{$α$} filters, and the IR colors of the catalog AllWISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer + The Two Micron All Sky Survey), we end up with a number of PN and SySt candidates. Subsequently, we confirm the nature of these objects through spectroscopic observations at the SOAR telescope (Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope). So far, we have selected PN candidates and performed the spectroscopic follow-up of 8 of them. In this presentation we show the project's preliminary results, which consist of the discovery of at least one new planetary nebula, and other emission-line sources still to be confirmed either as PN or SySt.

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Low-ionization structures in planetary nebulae -- III. The statistical analysis of physico-chemical parameters and excitation mechanisms

Nearly 30 years after the first detailed studies of low-ionization structures (LISs) in planetary nebulae (PNe), we perform a statistical analysis of their physical, chemical and excitation properties, by collecting published data in the literature. The analysis was made through the contrast between LISs and high-ionization structures -- rims or shells -- for a large sample of PNe, in order to highlight significant differences between these structures. Our motivation was to find robust results based on the largest sample of LISs gathered so far. (i) Indeed, LISs have lower electron densities (N$_{e}$[S~II]) than the rims/shells. (ii) The nitrogen electron temperatures (T$_{e}$[N~II]) are similar between the two groups, while a bimodal distribution is observed for the T$_{e}$ based on [O~III] of the rims/shells, although the high- and low-ionization structures have T$_{e}$[O~III] of similar median values. (iii) No significant variations are observed in total abundances of He, N, O, Ne, Ar, Cl and S between the two groups. (iv) Through the analysis of several diagnostic diagrams, LISs are separated from rims/shells in terms of excitation. From two large grids of photoionization and shock models, we show that there is an important overlap between both mechanisms, particularly when low-ionization line-ratios are concerned. We found a good tracer of high-velocity shocks, as well as an indicator of high- and low-velocity shocks that depends on temperature-sensitive line ratios. In conclusion, both excitation mechanisms could be present, however shocks cannot be the main source of excitation for most of the LISs of PNe.

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Low-ionization structures in planetary nebulae -- II. Densities, temperatures, abundances and excitation of 6 PNe

Here we present the spatially resolved study of six Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe), namely IC 4593, Hen 2-186, Hen 2-429, NGC 3918, NGC 6543 and NGC 6905, from intermediate-resolution spectra of the 2.5 m Isaac Newton Telescope and the 1.54 m Danish telescope. The physical conditions (electron densities, N$_{e}$, and temperatures, T$_{e}$), chemical compositions and dominant excitation mechanisms for the different regions of these objects are derived, in an attempt to go deeper on the knowledge of the low-ionization structures (LISs) hosted by these PNe. We reinforce the previous conclusions that LISs are characterized by lower (or at most equal) N$_{e}$ than their associated rims and shells. As for the T$_{e}$, we point out a \textit{possible} different trend between the N and O diagnostics. T$_e$[NII] does not show significant variations throughout the nebular components, whereas T$_e$[OIII] appears to be slightly higher for LISs. The much larger uncertainties associated with the T$_e$[OIII] of LISs do not allow robust conclusions. Moreover, the chemical abundances show no variation from one to another PN components, not even contrasting LISs with rims and shells, as also found in a number of other works. By discussing the ionization photon flux due to shocks and stellar radiation, we explore the possible mechanisms responsible for the excitation of LISs. We argue that the presence of shocks in LISs is not negligible, although there is a strong dependence on the orientation of the host PNe and LISs.

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Discovery of five new Galactic symbiotic stars in the VPHAS+ survey

We report the validation of a recently proposed infrared selection criterion for symbiotic stars (SySts). Spectroscopic data were obtained for seven candidates, selected from the SySt candidates of Akras et al. (2019, MNRAS, 483, 5077) by employing the new supplementary infrared selection criterion for SySts in the VST/OmegaCAM Photometric H-Alpha Survey (VPHAS+). Five of them turned out to be genuine SySts after the detection of H$α$, He II and [O III] emission lines as well as TiO molecular bands. The characteristic O VI Raman-scattered line is also detected in one of these SySts. According to their infrared colours and optical spectra, all five newly discovered SySts are classified as S-type. The high rate of true SySts detections of this work demonstrates that the combination of the H$α$-emission and the new infrared criterion improves the selection of target lists for follow-up observations by minimizing the number of contaminants and optimizing the observing time.

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H$_2$ emission in the low-ionisation structures of the Planetary Nebulae NGC 7009 and NGC 6543

Despite the many studies in the last decades, the low-ionisation structures (LISs) of planetary nebulae (PNe) still hold several mysteries. Recent imaging surveys have demonstrated that LISs are composed of molecular gas. Here we report H$_2$ emission in the LISs of NGC 7009 and NGC 6543 by means of very deep narrow-band H$_2$ images taken with NIRI@Gemini. The surface brightness of the H2 1-0 S(1) line is estimated to be (0.46-2.9)$\times$10$^{-4}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ sr$^{-1}$ in NGC 7009 and (0.29-0.48)$\times$10$^{-4}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ sr$^{-1}$ in NGC 6543, with signal-to-noise ratios of 10-42 and 3-4, respectively. These findings provide further confirmation of hidden H$_2$ gas in LISs. The emission is discussed in terms of the recent proposed diagnostic diagram R(H$_2$)=H$_2$ 1-0 S(1)/H$_2$ 2-1 S(1) versus R(Br$γ$)=H$_2$ 1-0 S(1)/Br$γ$, which was suggested to trace the mechanism responsible for the H$_2$ excitation. Comparing our observations to shock and ultraviolet (UV) molecular excitation models, as well as a number of observations compiled from the literature showed that we cannot conclude for either UV or shocks as the mechanism behind the molecular emission.

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Distance mapping applied to four well-known planetary nebulae and a nova shell

Accurate distance estimates of astrophysical objects such as planetary nebulae (PNe), and nova and supernova remnants, among others, allow us to constrain their physical characteristics, such as size, mass, luminosity, and age. An innovative technique based on the expansion parallax method, the so-called distance mapping technique (DMT), provides distance maps of expanding nebulae as well as an estimation of their distances. The DMT combines the tangential velocity vectors obtained from 3D morpho-kinematic models and the observed proper motion vectors to estimate the distance. We applied the DMT to four PNe (NGC 6702, NGC 6543, NGC 6302, and BD+30 3639) and one nova remnant (GK Persei) and derived new distances in good agreement with previous studies. New simple morpho-kinematic shape models were generated for NGC 6543, NGC 6302, and NGC 6702, whereas for BD+30 3639 and GK Persei published models were used. We demonstrate that the DMT is a useful tool to obtain distance values of PNe, in addition to revealing kinematically peculiar regions within the nebulae. Distances are also derived from the trigonometric Gaia parallaxes. The effect of the non-negligible parallax offset in the second Gaia data release is also discussed.

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Compact planetary nebulae: Improved IR diagnostic criteria based on classification tree modelling

Planetary nebulae (PNe) are strong H$α$ line-emitters and a lot of new PNe discoveries have been made by the SuperCOSMOS AAO/UKST H$α$ Survey (SHS) and the Isaac Newton Telescope Photometric H$α$ Survey (IPHAS). However, the list of auto-generated H$α$-excess candidates from these surveys as well as any photometric survey, prior to spectroscopic follow-up to confirm their nature, contains all varieties of H$α$-line emitters like young stellar objects (YSOs), H II regions, compact PNe and emission line stars of all kinds. The aim of this work is to find new infrared criteria that can better distinguish compact PNe from their mimics using a machine learning approach and the photometric data from the Two-Micron All-Sky Survey and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. Three classification tree models have been developed with the following colour criteria: W1-W4$\ge$7.87 and J-H$<$1.10; H-W2$\ge$2.24 and J-H$<$0.50; and Ks-W3$\ge$6.42 and J-H$<$1.31 providing a list of candidates, characterized by a high probability to be genuine PNe. The contamination of this list of candidates from Ha mimics is low but not negligible. By applying these criteria to the IPHAS list of PN candidates and the entire IPHAS and VPHAS+ DR2 catalogues, we find 141 sources, from which 92 are known PNe, 39 are new very likely compact PNe (without an available classification or uncertain) and 10 are classified as H II regions, Wolf-Rayet stars, AeBe stars and YSOs. The occurrence of false positive identifications in this technique is between 10 and 15 per cent.

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What do planetary nebulae and H II regions reveal about the chemical evolution of nearby dwarf galaxies?

The Local Group contains a great number of dwarf irregulars and spheroidals, for which the spectroscopy of individual stars can be obtained. Thus, the chemical evolution of these galaxies can be traced, with the only need of finding populations spanning a large age range and such that we can accurately derive the composition. Planetary nebulae (PNe) are old- and intermediate-age star remnants and their chemical abundances can be obtained up to 3-4 Mpc. H II regions, which are brighter and much easily detected, represent galaxies young content. PNe and H II regions share similar spectroscopic features and are analysed in the same way. Both are among the best tracers of the chemical evolution allowing to draw the chemical time line of nearby galaxies. The focus in this review are the PN and H II region populations as constraints to the chemical evolution models and the mass-metallicity relation of the local universe.

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H$_2$ in low-ionization structures of planetary nebulae

We report the detection of near-IR H$_2$ emission from the low-ionization structures (knots) in two planetary nebulae. The deepest ever, high-angular resolution H$_2$ 1-0 S(1) at 2.122$μ$, H$_2$ 2-1 S(1) at 2.248$μ$ and Br$γ$ images of K 4-47 and NGC 7662, obtained using the Near InfraRed Imager and Spectrometer (NIRI) at Gemini-North, are analyzed here. K 4-47 reveals a remarkable highly collimated bipolar structure not only in the optical but also in the molecular hydrogen emission. The H$_2$ emission emanates from the walls of the bipolar outflows and also from the pair of knots at the tip of the outflows. The H$_2$ 1-0 S(1)/2-1 S(1) line ratio ranges from ~7 to ~10 suggesting the presence of shock interactions. Our findings can be explained by the interaction of a jet/bullet ejected from the central star with the surrounding asymptotic giant branch material. The strongest H$_2$ line, v=1-0 S(1) is also detected in several low-ionization knots located at the periphery of the elliptical planetary nebula NGC 7662, but only four of these knots are detected in the H$_2$ v=2-1 S(1) line. These four knots exhibit an H$_2$ line ratio between 2 and 3.5, which suggests that the emission is caused by the UV ionizing flux of the central star. Our data confirms the presence of H$_2$ gas in both fast- and slow-moving low-ionization knots, which has only been confirmed before in the nearby Helix nebula and Hu 1-2. Overall, the low-ionization structures of planetary nebulae are found to share similar traits to photodissociation regions.

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Proof of shock-excited H$_2$ in low-ionization structures of PNe

We report the detection of near-IR H$_2$ lines emission from low-ionization structures (LISs) in planetary nebulae. The deepest, high-angular resolution H$_2$ 1-0 S(1) at 2.122 $μ$m, and H$_2$ 2-1 S(1) at 2.248 $μ$m images of K 4-47 and NGC 7662, obtained using NIRI@Gemini-North, are presented here. K 4-47 reveals a remarkable high-collimated bipolar structure. The H$_2$ emission emanates from the walls of the bipolar outflows and a pair of knots at the tips of these outflows. The H$_2$ 1-0 S(1)/2-1 S(1) line ratio is $\sim$7-10 which indicates shock interaction due to both the lateral expansion of the gas in the outflows and the high-velocity knots. The strongest line, H$_2$ v=1-0 S(1), is also detected in several LISs located at the periphery of the outer shell of the elliptical PN NGC 7662, whereas only four knots are detected in the H$_2$ v=2-1 S(1) line. These knots have H$_2$ v=1-0 S(1)/v=2-1 S(1) values between 2 and 3. These data confirm the presence of molecular gas in both highly (K 4-47) and slowly moving LISs (NGC 7662). The H$_2$ emission in K 4-47 is powered by shocks, whereas in NGC 7662 is due to photo-ionization by the central star. Moreover, a likely correlation is found between the H$_2$ v=1-0 S(1)/H$_2$ v=2-1 S(1) and [N II]/H$α$ line ratios.

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