JWST MIRI-MRS observations of the Red Rectangle: Aromatic infrared band class transformation in the outer nebula

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Abstract
Aims. We characterize the mid-infrared spectrum of the outer regions of the Red Rectangle nebula to probe the carbonaceous dust and molecular content beyond the circumbinary disk. Methods. We present JWST MIRI-MRS observations of the southwest whisker that were extracted from three distinct environments: the biconical outflow, the whisker itself, and the shadow region outside the outflow. We compare them with an archival ISO-SWS observation of the inner nebula. Results. The JWST spectra display only classical aromatic infrared band (AIB) emission on a weak dust continuum, with no signatures of the oxygen-rich circumbinary disk mineralogy nor of the rich molecular emission seen at optical wavelengths. The AIBs are predominantly Class 𝒜, which is in marked contrast to the exclusively Class ℬ profiles previously reported for the inner regions; there are systematic differences between the outflow and shadow regions that point to environmentally driven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon processing.
Funding Information
  • Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (ASTRO.JWST.001)
  • Canadian Space Agency (24JWGO3A14)
  • NSERCC
  • European Cooperation in Science and Technology (CA21126)

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