Circumstellar envelopes around evolved stars can be imaged in both continuum and spectral lines. The chemical and excitation variations within these envelopes can be used to probe the activities near the evolved stars. The images here are young planetary nebula NGC 7027, that is just after the ejection and in the early phase of ionization. With the SMA, we imaged the molecules that are now being destroyed and turned into formyl ion (HCO+) before completely destroyed into H, C, O. These atoms will become H+, C+, O+ (inonized) in a few thousand years. (Huang et al. 2010, ApJ, 722, 273) |