Dissecting the X-Ray Emission in the Young Planetary Nebula NGC 7027

Abstract

We present an analysis of a second observation of the young planetary nebula (PN) NGC 7027 by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This latest 59.2 ks exposure with ACIS-S was acquired approximately 14 years after the initial 18.2 ks ACIS-S observation, and the improved photon statistics allow us to perform a detailed spatial and spectral analysis of the X-ray emission. Comparison with multiwavelength imaging of NGC 7027 reveals a strong anti-correlation between extinction across the nebula and the soft-band X-ray emission. Dissecting the X-ray emission into low- and high-extinction regions results in more robust characterization of the plasma spectral properties. We determine that the X-ray emitting plasma has a temperature of ∼3.6 MK, is deficient in Fe, and has an X-ray luminosity of L _X ∼ 7 × 10³¹ erg s^-1, all of which are generally consistent with the plasma properties found in PN hot bubbles. We find no evidence of evolution in the X-ray surface brightness over the 14 year baseline between CXO observations. Our analysis underscores the importance of accounting for nebular absorption of the X-ray emission in accurately determining plasma properties for hot bubbles within PNe.