ABSTRACT. Winds from accretion disks have been proposed as the driving source for precessing jets and extreme bipolar morphologies in planetary nebulae (PNs) and proto-PNs (PPNs). Here we apply MHD disk wind models to PNs and PPNs by estimating separately the asymptotic MHD wind velocities and mass-loss rates. We discuss conditions that may occur in PN and PPN accretion disks that form via binary interactions. We show that the resulting winds can recover the observed momentum and energy input rates for PNs and PPNs. High accretion rates (M_a 10^-4 M yr^-1) may be required in the latter case. We find that the observed total energy and momentum in PPNs can be recovered with disk wind models using existing disk formation scenarios. When combined with existing scenarios for accretion disk formation from disrupted stellar companions, our models may provide an explanation for the existence of high-speed polar knots (FLIERS) observed in some PNs.

Subject headings: magnetic fields; MHD; planetary nebulae: general; shock waves

Print publication: Issue 2 (2004 October 20)
Received 2003 June 5, accepted for publication 2003 December 12