X-Ray Emission from Jet-Wind Interaction in Planetary Nebulae

TL;DR

This study uses 2D simulations to demonstrate that jet-wind interactions in planetary nebulae can produce extended X-ray emissions, explaining observations and suggesting multiple sources contribute to X-ray properties.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed 2D simulation analysis of jet-wind interactions in planetary nebulae to explain X-ray emissions, highlighting the role of jets in shaping X-ray features.

Findings

Jet-wind interactions can produce extended X-ray emission.

Multiple X-ray sources may coexist in some planetary nebulae.

A two-temperature gas model better explains observed X-ray properties.

Abstract

We conduct 2D numerical simulations of jets expanding into the slow wind of asymptotic giant branch stars. We show that the post-shock jets' material can explain the observed extended X-ray emission from some planetary nebulae (PNs). Such jets are thought to shape many PNs, and therefore it is expected that this process will contribute to the X-ray emission from some PNs. In other PNs (not simulated in this work) the source of the extended X-ray emission is the shocked spherical wind blown by the central star. In a small fraction of PNs both sources might contribute, and a two-temperatures gas will fit better the X-ray properties than a one-temperature gas. A spacial separation between these two components is expected.