Morphology and Kinematics of Planetary Nebulae. I. A New Modeling Tool

We present a new modeling tool for planetary nebulae, based on three-dimensional photoionization calculations. Our goal is to show that all the information provided by observations regarding kinematics and morphology has to be consistently accounted for in order to achieve real insight into the object. Only three-dimensional simulations offer this possibility. From models for two theoretical planetary nebulae (PNe), we show that the enhancement in the equatorial zone observed in several PNe is not necessarily due to a density gradient, as usually interpreted. It is also shown that asymmetric velocity profiles often observed (e.g., Gesicki et al.) can be easily reproduced. Observations providing better insight into the morphology of PNe are discussed.