"Exploring Planetary Nebulae Microstructures"

Abstract:

Planetary nebulae (PNe) represent the end-phase of low-to-intermediate mass stars, meaning that the vast majority of the stars will go through this evolutionary phase. PNe are characterized by a complex morphology and although their large-scale structures are well studied, far less is known about the small-scale features that are observed in many PNe. These microstructures pose challenges to our understanding of stellar evolution, as their origin and formation mechanisms remain open questions. For this reason, there is a growing interest in their enigmatic nature with a number of studies, aiming to shed light on their role within the nebular environment. In this framework, I am working on the first spectroscopic study focused on PNe microstructures. My sample contains X-Shooter@VLT data for several microstructures in PNe of different morphological types. Thanks to X-Shooter spectral coverage, from UVB to near-IR, a unique opportunity is offered to explore the nature and the excitation mechanisms of the PNe microstructures aiming to uncover the mysteries surrounding their formation.