Planetary Nebulae: What Can They Tell Us About Close Binary Evolution?

Publisher: Edp Sciences

E-ISSN: 1638-1963|71-72|issue|113-116

ISSN: 1633-4760

Source: EAS Publications Series, Vol.71-72, Iss.issue, 2015-12, pp. : 113-116

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Abstract

It is now clear that a binary pathway is responsible for a significant fraction of planetary nebulae, and the continually increasing sample of known central binaries means that we are now in a position to begin to use these systems to further our understanding of binary evolution. Binary central stars of planetary nebulae are key laboratories in understanding the formation processes of a wide-range of astrophysical phenomena – a point well-illustrated by the fact that the only known double-degenerate, super-Chandrasekhar mass binary which will merge in less than a Hubble time is found inside a planetary nebula. Here, I briefly outline our current understanding and avenues for future investigation.