Related papers: Molecular studies of Planetary Nebulae
The mass loss process along the AGB phase is crucial for the formation of circumstellar envelopes (CSEs), which in the post-AGB phase will evolve into planetary nebulae (PNe). There are still important issues that need to be further…
Mid-IR observations of planetary nebulae (PNe) have revealed diffuse emission associated to their main nebular shells and outer envelopes or haloes. The interpretation of this emission is uncertain because the broad-band mid-IR images may…
The dissociation and subsequent ionisation of molecular material in a detached, spherically symmetric stellar wind is modelled as a star evolves from the post-asymptotic giant branch phase to a planetary nebula (i.e. from a stellar…
We compile published spectroscopic data and [O III] magnitudes of almost 500 extragalactic planetary nebulae (PNe) in 13 galaxies of various masses and morphological types. This is the first paper of a series that aims to analyze the PN…
In this review I present the binary model for the shaping of planetary nebulae (PNe) as I view it, in the context of historical evolution of other models for the shaping of PNe over more than 30 years. In describing the binary model, I…
Planetary Nebulae (PNe) abundance patterns have long been used to note signatures of nuclear processing and to trace the distribution of metals throughout galaxies. We present abundance gradients and heavy element ratios based upon newly…
Starting from the Strasbourg ESO Catalogue (SEC) of Planetary Nebulae (PNe), the largest PNe compilation available with ~ 1500 objects, we undertook a comprehensive study of the whole PN population, never carried out so far, only using…
Progenitors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe) have been predicted to modify their ambient circumstellar (CSM) and interstellar environments through the action of their powerful winds. While there is X-ray and optical evidence for circumstellar…
During their thermally pulsing phase, Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars eject material that forms extended dusty envelopes. Visible polarimetric imaging found clumpy dust clouds within two stellar radii of several oxygen-rich stars.…
Planetary nebulae (PNe) consist of an ionized envelope surrounding a hot central star (CSPN) that emits mostly at ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths. Ultraviolet observations, therefore, provide important information on both the CSPN and the…
Planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Magellanic Clouds (LMC, SMC) offer a unique opportunity to study both the population and evolution of low- and intermediate-mass stars in an environment which is free of the distance scale bias that hinder…
The common envelope interaction is responsible for evolved close binaries. Among them are a minority of central stars of planetary nebula (PN). Recent observational results, however, point to most PN actually being in binary systems. We…
We review recent studies of organic molecule formation in dense molecular clouds and in comets. We summarise the known organic inventories of molecular clouds and recent comets, particularly Hale-Bopp. The principal chemical formation…
It is long debated if pre-biotic molecules are indeed present in the interstellar medium. Despite substantial works pointing to their existence, pre-biotic molecules are yet to be discovered with a complete confidence. In this paper, our…
Our understanding of planetary nebulae has been significantly enhanced as a result of several recent large surveys (Parker et al., these proceedings). These new discoveries suggest that the `PN phenomenon' is in fact more heterogeneous than…
The analysis of Planetary Nebulae (PNe) provides a tool to investigate the properties of their exciting central stars (CSPN) at the moment of the PN ejection as well as on the properties of the ambient interstellar medium (ISM). The…
We present near-IR spectroscopy of a sample of 30 IRAS sources recently identified as late AGB stars, post-AGB stars or early PNe. The spectra obtained are centered at various wavelengths covering the molecular hydrogen v=1-0 S(1) and v=2-1…
We present results of an ongoing survey of low surface brightness planetary nebulae (PNe). Using both narrow-band imaging and long slit spectroscopy we have studied 15 new examples for interaction with the interstellar medium (ISM)…
The role of planetary nebulae as probes for the galactic chemical evolution is reviewed. Their abundances throughout the Galaxy are discussed for key elements, in particular oxygen and other alpha elements. The abundance distribution…
The morphology of planetary nebulae emerging from the common envelope phase of binary star evolution is investigated. Using initial conditions based on the numerical results of hydrodynamical simulations of the common envelope phase it is…