Symmetrical Jet Action in the R Aquarii Binary System
Abstract
Collimated mass flow in opposite directions is detected in the R Aqr binary-system jet by means of high-resolution long-slit spectroscopy of several optical emission lines. Also presented are images of the jet structure in the forbidden line of O III, which clearly show bipolar symmetry extending to distances of about 2750 AU on either side of the central Mira variable. The Mira light was greatly reduced by utilization of a vignetting disk on the window of the imaging CCD. This result confirms the recent report of morphological evidence for an R Aqr jet from the detection of bipolar radio continuum emission at 6 cm, and provides the necessary kinematical evidence to show that jet action is actually taking place.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1086/185669
- Bibcode:
- 1990ApJ...351L..17H
- Keywords:
-
- Binary Stars;
- Mira Variables;
- Radio Jets (Astronomy);
- Stellar Mass Ejection;
- Stellar Spectra;
- Emission Spectra;
- Radial Velocity;
- Stellar Systems;
- Symbiotic Stars;
- Astrophysics;
- RADIAL VELOCITIES;
- STARS: INDIVIDUAL CONSTELLATION NAME: R AQUARII;
- STARS: MASS LOSS;
- STARS: SYMBIOTIC