The alpha -element abundances in the most oxygen-poor planetary nebula PNG 135.9+55.9

Richer, M. G.; Tovmassian, G.; Stasińska, G.; Jameson, R. F.; Dobbie, P. D.; Veillet, C.; Gutierrez, C.; Prada, F.
Referencia bibliográfica

Astronomy and Astrophysics, v.395, p.929-941 (2002)

Fecha de publicación:
12
2002
Número de autores
8
Número de autores del IAC
1
Número de citas
11
Número de citas referidas
7
Descripción
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.