THE DETECTION OF C60 IN THE WELL-CHARACTERIZED PLANETARY NEBULA M1-11

Journal Article · Sun Feb 10 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/764/1/77· OSTI ID:22167669

Otsuka, Masaaki; Kemper, F. ^[1]; Hyung, S. ^[2]; Sargent, B. A.; Meixner, M. ^[3]; Tajitsu, A. ^[4]

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1. Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)
2. School of Science Education (Astronomy), Chungbuk National University, CheongJu, Chungbuk 361-763 (Korea, Republic of)
3. Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
4. Subaru Telescope, NAOJ, 650 North A'ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States)

We performed multiwavelength observations of the young planetary nebula (PN) M1-11 and obtained its elemental abundances, dust mass, and the evolutionary status of the central star. The AKARI/IRC, VLT/VISIR, and Spitzer/IRS spectra show features due to carbon-rich dust, such as the 3.3, 8.6, and 11.3 {mu}m features due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a smooth continuum attributable to amorphous carbon, and the broad 11.5 and 30 {mu}m features often ascribed to SiC and MgS, respectively. We also report the presence of an unidentified broad feature at 16-22 {mu}m, similar to the feature found in Magellanic Cloud PNe with either C-rich or O-rich gas-phase compositions. We identify for the first time in M1-11 spectral lines at 8.5 (blended with PAH), 17.3, and 18.9 {mu}m that we attribute to the C{sub 60} fullerene. This identification is strengthened by the fact that other Galactic PNe in which fullerenes are detected have similar central stars, similar gas-phase abundances, and a similar dust composition to M1-11. The weak radiation field due to the relatively cool central stars in these PNe may provide favorable conditions for fullerenes to survive in the circumstellar medium. Using the photoionization code CLOUDY, combined with a modified blackbody, we have fitted the {approx}0.1-90 {mu}m spectral energy distribution (SED) and determined the dust mass in the nebula to be {approx}3.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} M {sub Sun }. Our chemical abundance analysis and SED model suggest that M1-11 is perhaps a C-rich PN with C/O ratio in the gas phase of +0.19 dex, and that it evolved from a 1-1.5 M {sub Sun} star.

• OSTI ID: 22167669
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 764; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
DETECTION
DUSTS
ENERGY SPECTRA
FULLERENES
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
MAGNESIUM SULFIDES
MASS
PHOTOIONIZATION
PLANETARY NEBULAE
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SILICON CARBIDES
STARS