ABUNDANCES OF PLANETARY NEBULAE IN THE OUTER DISK OF M31

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2012 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/753/1/12· OSTI ID:22036961

Kwitter, Karen B; Lehman, Emma M. M. ^[1]; Balick, Bruce ^[2]; Henry, R B. C., ^[3]

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1. Department of Astronomy, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267 (United States)
2. Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States)
3. H.L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019 (United States)

We present spectroscopic observations and chemical abundances of 16 planetary nebulae (PNe) in the outer disk of M31. The [O III] {lambda}4363 line is detected in all objects, allowing a direct measurement of the nebular temperature essential for accurate abundance determinations. Our results show that the abundances in these M31 PNe display the same correlations and general behaviors as Type II PNe in the Milky Way. We also calculate photoionization models to derive estimates of central star properties. From these we infer that our sample PNe, all near the bright-end cutoff of the planetary nebula luminosity function, originated from stars near 2 M{sub Sun }. Finally, under the assumption that these PNe are located in M31's disk, we plot the oxygen abundance gradient, which appears shallower than the gradient in the Milky Way.

• OSTI ID: 22036961
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 753; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
CORRELATIONS
ELEMENT ABUNDANCE
LUMINOSITY
MILKY WAY
OXYGEN
OXYGEN IONS
PHOTOIONIZATION
PLANETARY NEBULAE
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS