New evolutionary relationships for Magellanic Cloud planetary nebulae

Journal Article · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/184870· OSTI ID:5966240

Dopita, M A; Meatheringham, S J; Wood, P R; Webster, B L; Morgan, D H

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 H-beta 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. 30 references.

• Research Organization: Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories, Canberra, Australia; New South Wales Univ., Kensington, Australia; Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, Scotland
• OSTI ID: 5966240
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 315; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
AGE ESTIMATION
BALMER LINES
DIAGRAMS
DWARF STARS
EXPANSION
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GASES
GIANT STARS
HERTZSPRUNG-RUSSELL DIAGRAM
IONIZED GASES
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
MASS
NEBULAE
PLANETARY NEBULAE
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS
WHITE DWARF STARS