Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2010-06-02
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
16 pages, 6 figures
Scientific paper
Images of the circumstellar ejecta associated with the post-red supergiant IRC +10420 show a complex ejecta with visual evidence for episodic mass loss. In this paper we describe the transverse motions of numerous knots, arcs and condensations in the inner ejecta measured from second epoch {\it HST/WFPC2} images. When combined with the radial motions for several of the features, the total space motion and direction of the outflows show that they were ejected at different times, in different directions, and presumably from separate regions on the surface of the star. These discrete structures in the ejecta are kinematically distinct from the general expansion of the nebula and their motions are dominated by their transverse velocities. They are apparently all moving within a few degrees of the plane of the sky. We are thus viewing IRC +10420 nearly pole-on and looking nearly directly down onto its equatorial plane. We also discuss the role of surface activity and magnetic fields on IRC +10420's recent mass loss history.
Davidson Kris
Humphreys Roberta M.
Jones Terry J.
Tiffany Chelsea
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