THE OUTFLOWS AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF NGC 6337: A PLANETARY NEBULA WITH A CLOSE BINARY NUCLEUS

Journal Article · Fri Jul 10 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/699/2/1633; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)· OSTI ID:21333724

Garcia-Diaz, Ma T; Clark, D M; Lopez, J A; Steffen, W

NGC 6337 is a member of the rare group of planetary nebulae where a close binary nucleus has been identified. The nebula's morphology and emission line profiles are both unusual, particularly the latter. We present a thorough mapping of spatially resolved, long-slit echelle spectra obtained over the nebula that allows a detailed characterization of its complex kinematics. This information, together with narrowband imagery, is used to produce a three-dimensional (3D) model of the nebula using the code SHAPE. The 3D model yields a slowly expanding toroid with large density fluctuations in its periphery that are observed as cometary knots. A system of bipolar expanding caps of low ionization is located outside the toroid. In addition, an extended high velocity and tenuous bipolar collimated outflow is found emerging from the core and sharply bending in opposite directions, a behavior that cannot be accounted for by pure magnetic launching and collimation unless the source of the outflow is precessing or rotating, as could be expected from a close binary nucleus.

• OSTI ID: 21333724
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 699; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
IONIZATION
MAPPING
MORPHOLOGY
PLANETARY NEBULAE
SPECTRA