Bibcode
Richer, M. G.; Tovmassian, G.; Stasińska, G.; Jameson, R. F.; Dobbie, P. D.; Veillet, C.; Gutierrez, C.; Prada, F.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, v.395, p.929-941 (2002)
Advertised on:
12
2002
Journal
Citations
11
Refereed citations
7
Description
We present extensive new spectroscopy and imaging of PNG 135.9+55.9. We
use these data as constraints to photoionization models to derive limits
on the oxygen abundance. We find that PNG 135.9+55.9 has an oxygen
abundance less than 1/50 of the solar value. Our models favour a value
of 12 + log O/H between 5.8 and 6.5 dex, confirming that PNG 135.9+55.9
is the most oxygen-poor planetary nebula known (Tovmassian et al.
cite{tovmassianetal2001}). We also derive Ne/O = 0.5 +/- 0.3, S/O <
0.094, and Ar/O < 0.23. Although the value of Ne/O is nominally high,
it need not imply that the progenitor of PNG 135.9+55.9 converted any of
its initial oxygen abundance to neon. The helium abundance appears to be
very low, He/H ~ 0.08, but a precise determination will require a much
more detailed study. We find that Hα /Hβ is lower than
expected and perhaps variable, a finding for which we have no clear
explanation.