Discovery of Radial Spectral Hardening in the Hot Bubble of Planetary Nebula BD+30°3639 with Median Energy Imaging

Abstract

We apply an imaging analysis technique to study the spatial distribution of the X-ray spectral hardness across the hot bubble of planetary nebula BD+30°3639. Hot bubble emission is typically photon starved, thus limiting the methods for spatial–spectral analysis; however, this technique uses the statistics of photon energies across the nebula to identify spatial variations in the X-ray spectral hardness. Using the median energy value of the X-ray photons, we identified a rise in median energy values toward the projected edge of the nebula, which we refer to as radial spectral hardening. We explored the origin of this radial spectral hardening with an X-ray spectral analysis of distinct regions of high and low median energy values. Given the results of the X-ray spectral fits and the fact that the hot bubble is embedded within a young, dense, planetary nebula, we conclude that the radial spectral hardening is due to an increased column density at the projected nebular edge.