Central star temperatures of optically thick planetary nebulae and a distance-independent test of dredge-up theory

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167957· OSTI ID:5019717

Kaler, J B; Jacoby, G H ^[1]

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1. Illinois Univ., Urbana (USA) Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ (USA)

The effective temperatures are calculated and the V magnitudes are predicted for the central stars of 62 optically thick planetary nebulas by forcing agreement between the hydrogen and ionized helium Zanstra temperatures. Comparison to the measured V for 34 of the stars shows good agreement and validates the method for the other 28, for which no Zanstra analysis is available. In many cases the predicted V magnitudes are actually likely to be better than the currently measured values. The comparison suggests that optical depth and not an ultraviolet excess is the dominant cause of the Zanstra discrepancy. Nebular N/O correlates positively with effective temperature, demonstrating that the N/O-core mass relation rises more steeply than predicted by dredge-up theory. 77 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5019717
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 345; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
CALCULATION METHODS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DWARF STARS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
LUMINOSITY
MASS
NEBULAE
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXYGEN
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLANETARY NEBULAE
RADIATIONS
STARS
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
WHITE DWARF STARS