A second post-AGB nebula that contains gas in rotation and in expansion: ALMA maps of IW Car

TL;DR

This study uses ALMA observations to reveal both rotational and expansive gas components in the post-AGB nebula IW Car, providing insights into its structure, mass, and evolutionary timescales.

Contribution

First detailed ALMA mapping of gas in rotation and expansion in a post-AGB nebula around IW Car, demonstrating the coexistence of a Keplerian disk and hourglass outflow.

Findings

Detection of a rotating equatorial disk with ~1 solar mass central star.

Identification of an hourglass-shaped outflow structure.

Estimated nebula mass of ~4×10^-3 solar masses and disk lifetime of 5,000–10,000 years.

Abstract

We aim to study the presence of both rotation and expansion in post-AGB nebulae, in particular around IW Car, a binary post-AGB star that was suspected to be surrounded by a Keplerian disk. We obtained high-quality ALMA observations of 12CO and 13CO J=3-2 lines in IW Car. The maps were analyzed by means of a simplified model of CO emission, based on those used for similar objects. Our observations clearly show the presence of gas components in rotation, in an equatorial disk, and expansion, which shows an hourglass-like structure with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the rotation plane and is probably formed of material extracted from the disk. Our modeling can reproduce the observations and shows moderate uncertainties. The rotation velocity corresponds to a central stellar mass of approximately 1 Mo. We also derive the total mass of the molecule-rich nebula, found to be of ~ 4 10e-3 Mo; the outflow is approximately eight times less massive than the disk. From the kinematical age of the outflow and the mass values derived for both components, we infer a (future) lifetime of the disk of approximately 5000--10000 yr.