X-ray Observations of Planetary Nebula
Planetary nebulae represent late evolutionary stages of low- and
intermediate-mass stars.
In addition to soft photospheric X-ray emission from the hot,
>100,000 K, central stars of planetary nebulae, diffuse X-ray
emission from hot gas is also expected.
X-ray observations of planetary nebulae are the key to assesing
the action of fast stellar winds and collimated outflows in
the formation and evolution of planetary nebulae.
Diffuse X-ray emission from hot gas in planetary nebulae was hinted
by ROSAT
and ASCA observations, but only the improved sensitivity and spatial
resolution of the Chandra and
XMM-Newton observatories have
allowed the unambiguous detection of hot gas from planetary nebula.
Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of planetary nebulae have produced
exquisite X-ray images and low-dispersion X-ray spectra used to determine
the spatial distribution and physical properties of the hot gas in
planetary nebulae.
These observations are helping us to better assess the relative importance
of fast stellar winds and collimated outflows in the shaping and evolution
of planetary nebulae.
We have undertaken a systematic study of all Chandra and XMM-Newton
observations of planetary nebulae to provide a comprehensive picture
of the generation and evolution of hot gas in planetary nebulae.
This study is producing a database of X-ray observations of planetary
nebulae that can be accessed from the following two lists:
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