Rotten Egg nebula: the magnetic field of a binary evolved star

Author： Leal-Ferreira M. L. Vlemmings W. H. T. Diamond P. J. Kemball A. Amiri N. Desmurs J.-F.

E-ISSN： 1432-0746|540|issue|A42-A42

ISSN： 0004-6361

Source： Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol.540, Iss.issue, 2012-03, pp. : A42-A42

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Abstract

Context. Most of the planetary nebulae (PNe) observed are not spherical. The loss of spherical symmetry occurs somewhere between the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase and the PNe phase. The cause of this change of morphology is not yet well understood, but magnetic fields are one of the possible agents. The origin of the magnetic field remains to be determined, and potentially requires the presence of a massive companion to the AGB star. Therefore, further detections of the magnetic field around evolved stars, and in particular those thought to be part of a binary system, are crucial to improve our understanding of the origin and role of magnetism during the late stages of stellar evolution. One such binary is the pre-PN OH231.8+4.2, around which a magnetic field has previously been detected in the OH maser region of the outer circumstellar envelope.