Related papers: Molecules as Tracers of PN Structure
The outskirts of galaxies offer extreme environments where we can test our understanding of the formation, evolution, and destruction of molecules and their relationship with star formation and galaxy evolution. We review the basic…
Planetary nebulae are formed by the matter ejected by low-to-intermediate mass stars (~0.8-8 times the mass of the Sun) towards the end of their lives. As hydrogen and then helium fuel sources run out, stars expand. During these giant…
We review the relevance of H2 molecules for structure formation in cosmology. Molecules are important at high redshifts, when the first collapsed structures appear with typical temperatures of a few hundred Kelvin. In these chemically…
Magnetic fields are an important but largely unknown ingredient of planetary nebulae. They have been detected in oxygen-rich AGB and post-AGB stars, and may play a role in the shaping of their nebulae. Here we present SCUBA sub-millimeter…
Most models of double-barred galaxies suggest that a molecular gas component is crucial for maintaining long-lived nuclear bars. We have undertaken a CO survey in an attempt to determine the gas content of these systems and to locate double…
Asymmetries in galactic potentials, either self-induced, or caused by a passing companion, play an important role in global gas dynamics in galaxies. In particular, they are able to trigger gas inflow, which in turn feeds nuclear activity.…
I review some steps in the conversion of molecular cloud gas into stars and planets, with an emphasis in this presentation on the early stage molecular cloud fragmentation that leads to elongated filaments/ribbons. Magnetic fields can play…
A revival over the past two decades in planetary nebula (PN) morphological studies springs from a combination of factors, including the advent of wide-area, high dynamic range detectors; the growing archives of high resolution images from…
The role of gas in the mass assembly at the nuclei of galaxies is still subject to some uncertainty. Stellar nuclear discs bridge the gap between the large-scale galaxy and the central massive objects that reside there. Using a high…
Galaxy masses play a fundamental role in our understanding of structure formation models. This review addresses the variety and reliability of mass estimators that pertain to stars, gas, and dark matter. The different sections on masses…
Planetary nebulae retain the signature of the nucleosynthesis and mixing events that occurred during the previous AGB phase. Observational signatures complement observations of AGB and post-AGB stars and their binary companions. The…
Planetary nebulae (PNe) exist in a range of different morphologies, from very simple and symmetric round shells, to elliptical, bipolar, and even quadrupolar shapes. They present extremely complex ensembles of filaments, knots, ansae, and…
In many gravitational interactions between galaxies, gas and stars that have been torn from either or both of the precursor galaxies can collect in 'tidal tails'. Star formation begins anew in these regions to produce 'tidal dwarf…
Carbon macromolecules are intermediates between small gas-phase species and larger dust structures. I illustrate how observations and dedicated laboratory experiments support this picture.
Planetary nebulae (PNe) are valuable spatial and kinematic tracers of nearby galaxies. In this mini-review, I focus on their role in tracing the halo and intra-cluster/intra-group light assembly in groups and clusters of galaxies within…
Galaxy interactions can disturb gas in galactic discs, compress it, excite it, and enhance star formation. An intriguing system likely consisting of two interacting galaxies overlapping on the line-of-sight was previously studied through…
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…
Massive star formation in the central regions of spiral galaxies plays an important role in the dynamical and secular evolution of their hosts. Here, we summarise a number of recent investigations of the star formation history and the…
The probability distribution of the velocity of gas molecules in a closed container is described by the kinetic theory of gases. When molecules collide or impact the walls of a container, they exchange energy and momentum in accordance with…
Some of the correlations between morphological and other physical properties of planetary nebulae (PNe) are reviewed. In particular, the finding that bipolar (b) PNe have more massive progenitors than the other morphological classes is…