Diffuse X-ray Emission within Wolf-Rayet Nebulae

We discuss our most recent findings on the diffuse X-ray emission from Wolf-Rayet (WR) nebulae. The best-quality X-ray observations of these objects are those performed by XMM-Newton and Chandra towards S308, NGC2359, and NGC6888. Even though these three WR nebulae might have different formation scenarios, they all share similar characteristics: i) the main plasma temperatures of the X-ray-emitting gas is found to be $T$=[1-2]$\times$10$^{6}$ K, ii) the diffuse X-ray emission is confined inside the [O III] shell, and iii) their X-ray luminosities and electron densities in the 0.3-2.0~keV energy range are $L_\mathrm{X}\approx$10$^{33}$-10$^{34}$~erg~s$^{-1}$ and $n_\mathrm{e}\approx$0.1-1~cm$^{-3}$, respectively. These properties and the nebular-like abundances of the hot gas suggest mixing and/or thermal conduction is taking an important role reducing the temperature of the hot bubble.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure; International Workshop on Wolf-Rayet Star

XMM-Newton Detection of Hot Gas in the Eskimo Nebula: Shocked Stellar Wind or Collimated Outflows?

The Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392) is a double-shell planetary nebula (PN) known for the exceptionally large expansion velocity of its inner shell, ~90 km/s, and the existence of a fast bipolar outflow with a line-of-sight expansion velocity approaching 200 km/s. We have obtained XMM-Newton observations of the Eskimo and detected diffuse X-ray emission within its inner shell. The X-ray spectra suggest thin plasma emission with a temperature of ~2x10^6 K and an X-ray luminosity of L_X = (2.6+/-1.0)x10^31 (d/1150 pc)^2 ergs/s, where d is the distance in parsecs. The diffuse X-ray emission shows noticeably different spatial distributions between the 0.2-0.65 keV and 0.65-2.0 keV bands. High-resolution X-ray images of the Eskimo are needed to determine whether its diffuse X-ray emission originates from shocked fast wind or bipolar outflows.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysics Letter