Abstract
We have evaluated the likely progenitor masses MPG of nebulae having elliptical, circular and bipolar morphologies, using observed ratios between the populations of these sources, and deduced central star mass functions. We find that most bipolar nebulae (BPNe) are likely to arise from progenitors having mass MPG>2.3 M⊙ and spectral types earlier than A3.2, whilst circular sources are associated with progenitors of mass 1.0 M⊙<MPG<1.2 M⊙ and spectral range G1.9–F7.8. Elliptical sources arise from intermediate-mass progenitors. The procedures employed to determine these values are relatively insensitive to uncertainties in scaleheights and population ratios, and completely insensitive to uncertainties in the distance scale. They are, however, dependent upon the precise forms adopted for the initial–final and central star mass functions, and we discuss the sensitivity of MPG to uncertainties in these functions.
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