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A collimated jet of molecular gas from a star on the asymptotic giant branch

Author

Listed:
  • Hiroshi Imai

    (VERA Project Office, National Astronomical Observatory
    Mizusawa Astrogeodynamics Observatory
    Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe)

  • Kumiko Obara

    (Mizusawa Astrogeodynamics Observatory
    Kagoshima University)

  • Philip J. Diamond

    (Jodrell Bank Observatory, University of Manchester)

  • Toshihiro Omodaka

    (Kagoshima University)

  • Tetsuo Sasao

    (VERA Project Office, National Astronomical Observatory)

Abstract

Evolved stars of about one solar mass are in general spherically symmetric, yet the planetary nebulae that they produce in the next phase of their evolution tend not to exhibit such symmetry. Collimated ‘jets’ and outflows of material have been observed1,2,3,4,5 up to ∼0.3 parsec from the central stars of planetary nebulae, and precession of those jets has been proposed1 to explain the observed asymmetries. Moreover, it has recently been shown6 theoretically that magnetic fields could launch and collimate such jets. Here we report the detection of a collimated and precessing jet of molecular gas that is traced by water-vapour maser spots ∼500 astronomical units (au) from the star W43A in Aquila. We conclude that the jet is formed in the immediate vicinity of the star, and infer that elongated planetary nebulae are formed by jets during the short period, of less than 1,000 years, when the star makes its transition through the proto-planetary nebula phase to become a planetary nebula.

Suggested Citation

  • Hiroshi Imai & Kumiko Obara & Philip J. Diamond & Toshihiro Omodaka & Tetsuo Sasao, 2002. "A collimated jet of molecular gas from a star on the asymptotic giant branch," Nature, Nature, vol. 417(6891), pages 829-831, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:417:y:2002:i:6891:d:10.1038_nature00788
    DOI: 10.1038/nature00788
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