The discovery and characterisation of binary central stars in planetary nebulae

David Jones, R.L.M. Corradi (IAC), H.M.J. Boffin (ESO), B. Miszalski (SAAO/SALT), T. Hillwig (Valparaiso University), P. Rodriguez (IAC) & M. Santander (OAN)

Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Spain

Close binary central stars of planetary nebulae are key in constraining the poorly-understood common-envelope phase of evolution, which in turn is critical in understanding the formation of a wide-range of astrophysical phenomena (including CVs, LMXBs and SNe Ia). Here, I will present the results of our on-going, targeted search for close-binaries in planetary nebulae which has led to the discovery of more than 10 new central binaries in just the last few years (almost the same as the total discovered during the 1980s and 1990s together). This success has been rooted in the targeted selection of objects for study, based on morphological features deemed typical of binarity, as well as novel observing strategies (including the employment of narrow-band filters for photometry to minimise nebular contamination), both of which I will discuss in detail. Our new discoveries coupled with the painstaking characterisation of both newly discovered systems and those from the literature mean that we are now in a position to begin to draw statistical conclusions on properties of post-common-envelope central stars, providing valuable information about the poorly understood common-envelope phase.

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