Co-Spatial UV-Optical HST/STIS Spectra of Seven Galactic Planetary Nebulae: Nebular and Stellar Properties

Abstract

This project had two main goals: (1) to investigate to what extent planetary nebulae (PNe) are chemically homogeneous; and (2) to provide physical constraints on the central star properties of each PN. The first goal was accomplished by using HST/STIS spectra to measure the abundances of up to seven elements in numerous spatial regions within each of seven PNe (IC 2165, IC 3568, NGC 2440, NGC 3242, NGC 5315, NGC 5882, and NGC 7662). The second goal was achieved by computing a photoionization model of each nebula, using the observed emission line strengths as constraints. The major finding of this study is that the nebular abundances of He, C, N, O, Ne, S, and Ar are consistent with a chemically homogeneous picture for each PN. Additionally, it was found through experimenting with three different density profiles (constant, Gaussian, and Gaussian with a power-law) that the determination of the central star's temperature and luminosity is only slightly sensitive to the profile choice. Lastly, post-AGB evolutionary model predictions of temperature and luminosity available in the literature were plotted along with the values inferred from the photoionization model analysis to yield initial and final mass estimates of each central star.