MUSE spectroscopy of the high abundance discrepancy planetary nebula NGC\,6153

Abstract

The abundance discrepancy problem in planetary nebulae (PNe) has long puzzled astronomers. NGC\,6153, with its high abundance discrepancy factor (ADF sim 10), provides a unique opportunity to study the chemical structure and ionisation processes within these objects. We aim to understand the chemical structure and ionisation processes in this high-ADF nebula by constructing detailed emission line maps and examining variations in electron temperature and density. This study also explores the discrepancies between ionic abundances derived from collisional and recombination lines, shedding light on the presence of multiple plasma components. We used the MUSE spectrograph to acquire IFU data covering the wavelength range 4600$-$9300 with a spatial sampling of 0.2 arcsec and spectral resolutions ranging from R = 1609 to R = 3506. We created emission line maps for 60 lines and two continuum regions. We developed a tailored methodology for the analysis of the data, including correction for recombination contributions to auroral lines and the contributions of different plasma phases. Our analysis confirmed the presence of a low-temperature plasma component in NGC\,6153. We find that electron temperatures derived from recombination line and continuum diagnostics are significantly lower than those derived from collisionally excited line diagnostics. Ionic chemical abundance maps were constructed, considering the weight of the cold plasma phase in the emission. Adopting this approach we found ionic abundances that could be up to 0.2 dex lower for those derived from CELs and up to 1.1 dex higher for those derived from RLs than in the case of a homogeneous emission. The abundance contrast factor (ACF) between both plasma components was defined, with values, on average, 0.9 dex higher than the ADF. Different methods for calculating ionisation correction factors (ICFs), including state-of-the-art literature ICFs and machine learning techniques, yielded consistent results. Our findings emphasise that accurate chemical abundance determinations in high-ADF PNe must account for multiple plasma phases. Future research should focus on expanding this methodology to a broader sample of PNe, with spectra deep enough to gather physical condition information of both plasma components, which will enhance our understanding of their chemical compositions and the underlying physical processes in these complex objects.