Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2005-11-16
Astrophys.J.640:360-368,2006
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
27 pages, 10 figures (accepted for publication in the ApJ)
Scientific paper
10.1086/499937
We used the VLA to search for 3He+ emission from two Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe): NGC6572 and J320}. Standard stellar models predict that the 3He/H abundance ratios for PNe should be 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than the primordial value (3He/H ~ 1e-5 by number) determined from Galactic HII region abundances and confirmed by WMAP cosmic microwave background results. Chemical evolution models suggest that fewer than 5% of all PNe enrich the interstellar medium (ISM) with 3He at the level of standard stellar models. Our target PNe are therefore anomalous in that they were selected from a sample deliberately biased to contain objects with properties that maximized the likelihood of a 3He detection by the VLA. We have detected the 8.665 GHz hyperfine 3He+ transition in J320 at the 4 sigma level. The 3He/H abundance ratio is 1.9e-3 with roughly a factor of two uncertainty. For NGC 6572 we find an upper limit of 3He/H <= 1e-3. This detection of 3He in J320 makes it the second PN known to have an anomalously high 3He abundance confirming that at least some low-mass stars produce significant amounts of 3He that survives to the PN stage and enriches the ISM.
Balser Dana S.
Bania Thomas M.
Goss William Miller
Rood Robert T.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Detection of 3He+ in a Planetary Nebula Using the VLA does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Detection of 3He+ in a Planetary Nebula Using the VLA, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Detection of 3He+ in a Planetary Nebula Using the VLA will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-587611