New evolutionary relationships for Magellanic Cloud planetary nebulae

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (24) References (23) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS New Evolutionary Relationships for Magellanic Cloud Planetary Nebulae Dopita, Michael A. ; Meatheringham, Stephen J. ; Wood, Peter R. ; Webster, B. Louise ; Morgan, David H. ; Ford, Holland C. Abstract Two new evolutionary correlations have been discovered to apply to the population of planetary nebulae (PN) in the Magellanic Clouds. First, the age of the nebular shell is found to follow a relationship, which is shown to be consistent with a model in which the total energy of the ionized and swept-up gas drives the expansion down the density gradient in the precursor AGB wind. Second, a tight correlation is found between the expansion velocity and a combination of the excitation class and the Hβ flux. This appears to be determined by the mass of the planetary nebula nuclear star. These correlations provide strong observational support for the idea that the PN shells are ejected at low velocity during the asymptotic giant branch phase of evolution, and that they are continually accelerated during their nebular lifetimes. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: April 1987 DOI: 10.1086/184870 Bibcode: 1987ApJ...315L.107D Keywords: Ionized Gases; Magellanic Clouds; Planetary Nebulae; Stellar Evolution; Stellar Mass; White Dwarf Stars; Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars; H Beta Line; Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram; High Resolution; Line Of Sight; Astrophysics; GALAXIES: MAGELLANIC CLOUDS; NEBULAE: PLANETARY; STARS: EVOLUTION; STARS: WHITE DWARFS full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (2) NED (2)