Hα Imaging Polarimetry of the Protoplanetary Nebula M:2-9

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

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Polarization - Scattering - Planetary Nebulae: Individual: M2-9 - Reflection Nebulae

Scientific paper

After correction for interstellar polarization, our Hα polarization map of the protoplanetary nebula M2-9 shows that a significant fraction of the emission-line radiation from the nebular lobes is scattered radiation originating in the central core. We find no evidence for a spatially extended illuminating source on scales of ≥ 1-2 arcsec. In order to explain our polarization results, we present a geometrical model for the system which has diametrically opposed cavities previously created in a preexisting dusty envelope. The illumination of the cavity walls leads to the reflection nebula properties of M2-9.
We find that the high-excitation emission-line knots, supposedly undergoing regular rotation about the major axis on a time-scale of decades, have not moved significantly since 1977. This, taken in conjunction with our observation of the absence of concentrations of scattering material at the locations of the knots, suggests that the knots arise from the sporadic illumination of the cavity walls by ionizing radiation from the central region.

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