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The Red Rectangle: a thin disk with big grains

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2025

Javier Alcolea Open the ORCID record for Javier Alcolea [Opens in a new window] ,
Valentín Bujarrabal ,
Arancha Castro-Carrizo ,
Jacques Kluska ,
Carmen Sánchez Contreras Open the ORCID record for Carmen Sánchez Contreras [Opens in a new window]  and
Hans van Winckel
Javier Alcolea*
Affiliation:
Observatorio Astronómico Nacional (IGN/CNIG), MITMA, Spain
Valentín Bujarrabal
Affiliation:
Observatorio Astronómico Nacional (IGN/CNIG), MITMA, Spain
Arancha Castro-Carrizo
Affiliation:
Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique, France
Jacques Kluska
Affiliation:
Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, KU Leuven, Belgium
Carmen Sánchez Contreras
Affiliation:
Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Spain
Hans van Winckel
Affiliation:
Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, KU Leuven, Belgium
*
Email: j.alcolea@oan.es
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Abstract

The Red Rectangle is a nebula surrounding the post-AGB star HD 44179. It is the prototype of a particular class of nebulae associated with post-AGB binaries characterised by the presence of stable circumbinary disks in (quasi-)Keplerian rotation. Here we present the results of new high-resolution (0.″ 02″05) ALMA observations of continuum and line emissions at 0.9 mm. The continuum maps are analysed through a simple model of dust emission, which can reproduce the observational data. We find that most dust emission in the Red Rectangle is concentrated in the central regions of the rotating disk and that the settlement of dust grains onto the equatorial plane is very significant, particularly in comparison with the much larger scale height displayed by the gas distribution. The diameter of the dust-emitting region is about 250 au, with a total width of about 50 au. This region coincides with the warm PDR where certain molecules (like HCN), CI, and CII are presumably formed, as well as probably PAHs. From the spectral index, we confirm the presence in the disk of large grains, with a typical radius of about 150 μm, which supports the long-lived hypothesis for this structure. We also confirm the existence of a compact ionised wind at the centre of the nebula, probably emerging from the accretion disk around the companion, for which we derive an extent of about 10 au and a total flux of 8 mJy. We also briefly present the results on molecular lines of 12CO, 13CO, and other less abundant species.

Keywords

stars: AGB and post-AGBcircumstellar matterradio continuum: starsradio lines: starsbinaryplanetary nebulae: individual: Red Rectangle

Information

Type
Contributed Paper
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 19 , Symposium S384: Planetary Nebulae: A Universal Toolbox in the Era of Precision Astrophysics , December 2023 , pp. 262 - 268
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of International Astronomical Union

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