Fallback in bipolar Planetary Nebulae ?

Abstract

The subclass of bipolar Planetary Nebulae (PN) exhibits well-defined low-power outflows and some show shock-related equatorial spiderweb structures and hourglass structures surrounding these outflows. These structures are distinctly different from the phenomena associated with spherical and elliptical PN and suggest a non-standard way to simultaneously energise both kind of structures. This paper presents evidence from the published literature on bipolar PN Hb\,12 and other sources in support of an alternative scenario for energizing these structures by means of accretion from material shells deposited during earlier post-AGB and pre-PN evolutionary stages. In addition to energizing the bipolar outflow, a sub-Eddington accretion scenario could hydrodynamically explain the spiderweb and outer hourglass structures as oblique shockwaves for guiding the accreting material into the equatorial region of the source. Estimates of the accretion rate resulting from fallback-related spherical accretion could indeed help to drive a low-power outflow and contribute to the total luminosity of these sources.