Detached shells as tracers of AGB-ISM bow shocks

Abstract

New Spitzer imaging observations have revealed the structure around the Mira variable star R Hya to be a one-sided parabolic arc 100 arcsec to the West stretching from North to South. We successfully model R Hya and its surroundings in terms of an interaction of the stellar wind from an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star with the interstellar medium (ISM) the star moves through. Our three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation reproduces the structure as a bow shock into the oncoming ISM. We propose this as another explanation of detached shells around such stars which should be considered alongside current theories of internal origin. The simulation predicts the existence of a tail of ram-pressure-stripped AGB material stretching downstream. Indications for such a tail behind R Hya are seen in IRAS maps.

5 pages, 3 colour figures, submitted to MNRAS letters, revised version after referee's comments

References in corpus (10)

• The Spitzer Space Telescope Mission
• A Robotic Wide-Angle H-Alpha Survey of the Southern Sky
• A Galactic Bar to Beyond the Solar Circle and its Relevance for Microlensing
• Properties of detached shells around carbon stars: Evidence of interacting winds
• Dynamical and Pressure Structures in Winds with Multiple Embedded Evaporating Clumps I. 2D Numerical Simulations
• Ram pressure stripping in Planetary Nebulae
• The evolution of the Mira variable R Hydrae
• The shaping of planetary nebula Sh 2-188 through interaction with the interstellar medium
• Imaging of detached shells around the carbon stars R Scl and U Ant through scattered stellar light
• A wall of dust around a proto-Mira

Cited by in corpus (27)

• A far-infrared survey of bow shocks and detached shells around AGB stars and red supergiants
• MESS (Mass-loss of Evolved StarS), a Herschel Key Program
• The interaction of planetary nebulae and their AGB progenitors with the interstellar medium
• Molecules and dust production in the Magellanic Clouds
• Mass Loss Evolution and the Formation of Detached Shells around TP-AGB Stars
• An Infrared Nebula Associated with Delta Cephei: Evidence of Mass Loss?
• High-resolution HST/ACS images of detached shells around carbon stars
• Vortices in the wakes of AGB stars
• New Evidence for Mass Loss from delta Cephei from HI 21-cm Line Observations
• It's a wonderful tail: the mass loss history of Mira
• The detached dust shells of AQ And, U Ant, and TT Cyg
• Herschel PACS and SPIRE imaging of CW Leo
• Dust and molecular shells in asymptotic giant branch stars - Mid-infrared interferometric observations of R Aql, R Aqr, R Hya, W Hya and V Hya
• Impact of orbital motion on the structure and stability of adiabatic shocks in colliding wind binaries
• The formation of a detached shell around the carbon star Y CVn
• The detached dust and gas shells around the carbon star U Ant
• Evidence of a Binary-Induced Spiral from an Incomplete Ring Pattern of CIT 6
• HI Observations of the Asymptotic Giant Branch Star X Herculis: Discovery of an Extended Circumstellar Wake Superposed on a Compact High-Velocity Cloud
• An HI Imaging Survey of Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars
• Atomium: The astounding complexity of the near circumstellar environment of the M-type AGB star R Hydrae. I. Morpho-kinematical interpretation of CO and SiO emission
• HI and CO in the circumstellar environment of the oxygen-rich AGB star RX Lep
• The rebrightening of planetary nebulae through ISM interaction
• Faraday Rotation in the Tail of the Planetary Nebula DeHt 5
• First Detection of UV emission from a Detached Dust Shell: GALEX Observations of the Carbon AGB Star U Hya
• Dusty shells surrounding the carbon variables S Scuti and RT Capricorni
• The Emission Nebula Sh 2-174: A Radio Investigation of the Surrounding Region
• Reconciling the emission mechanism discrepancy in Mira's tail, and its evolution in an interface with shear