Observation of narrow polar jets in the nascent wind of oxygen-rich AGB star EP Aqr

Abstract

Using ALMA observations of ${}^{12}$CO(2-1), ${}^{28}$SiO(5-4) and ${}^{32}$SO${}_2$(16${}_{6,10}$-17${}_{5,13}$) emissions of the circumstellar envelope of AGB star EP Aqr, we describe the morpho-kinematics governing the nascent wind. Main results are: 1) Two narrow polar structures, referred to as jets, launched from less than 25 au away from the star, build up between $\sim$ 20 au and $\sim$ 100 au to a velocity of $\sim$ 20 \kms. They fade away at larger distances and are barely visible in CO data. 2) SO${}_2$, SiO and CO emissions explore radial ranges reaching respectively $\sim$30 au, 250 au and 1000 au from the star, preventing the jets to be detected in SO${}_2$ data. 3) Close to the star photosphere, rotation (undetected in SiO and CO data) and isotropic radial expansion combine with probable turbulence to produce a broad SO${}_2$ line profile ($\sim$ 7.5 \kms\ FWHM). 4) A same axis serves as axis of rotation close to the star, as jet axis and as axi-symmetry axis at large distances. 5) A radial wind builds up at distances up to $\sim$ 300 au from the star, with larger velocity near polar than equatorial latitudes. 6) A sharp depletion of SiO and CO emissions, starting near the star, rapidly broadens to cover the whole blue-western quadrant, introducing important asymmetry in the CO and particularly SiO observations. 7) The ${}^{12}$C/${}^{13}$C abundance ratio is measured as 9$\pm$2. 8) Plausible interpretations are discussed, in particular assuming the presence of a companion.

18 pages, 16 figures, MNRAS accepted

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Cited by in corpus (1)

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