Orbits of nearby planetary nebulae and their interaction with the interstellar medium

TL;DR

This study analyzes the orbits of eight nearby planetary nebulae using Galactic models, identifies their population types, observes their interactions with the interstellar medium, and classifies their interaction stages based on hydrodynamic simulations.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed orbital analysis of these nebulae, linking their kinematics and interactions with the interstellar medium to their evolutionary stages.

Findings

Five nebulae belong to the thin-disk population.

Three nebulae are part of the thick-disk population.

Interactions with the interstellar medium are consistent with proper motion directions.

Abstract

We present and analyze the orbits of eight nearby planetary nebulae (PNs) using two different Galactic models. The errors of the derived orbital parameters are determined with a Monte Carlo method. Based on the derived orbital parameters, we find that Sh 2-216, DeHt 5, NGC 7293, A21, and Ton 320 belong to the thin-disk population, and PG 1034+001 and A31 belong to the thick-disk population. PuWe 1 probably belongs to the thick-disk population, but its population classification is very uncertain due to the large errors of its derived orbital parameters. The PN-ISM interactions are observed for the eight PNs in our sample. The position angles of the proper motions of the PNs are consistent with the directions of the PN-ISM interaction regions. The kinematic ages of PNs are much smaller than the time for them to cross the Galactic plane. Using the models of Borkowski et al. and Soker et al., the PN-ISM interaction can be used to derive the local density of ISM in the vicinity of evolved PNs. According to the three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of Wareing et al. (WZO), Sh 2-216, A21, and Ton 320 are in the WZO 3 stage, PG 1034+001 and NGC 7293 are in the WZO 1 stage, and PuWe 1 is in the WZO 2 stage.