A step further on the physical, kinematic and excitation properties of PNe. Issue Volume 14:Issue S343(2019) (August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rocha Gonçalves, Denise; Akras, Stavros
• Editors: Kerschbaum, Franz; Groenewegen, Martin; Olofsson, Hans
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 14:Issue S343(2019)
• Page Start: 409
• Page End: 410
• Publication Date: 2018-08
• Subjects: ISM: kinematics and dynamics, -- (ISM:) planetary nebulae: general, -- ISM: jets and outflows, -- techniques: spectroscopic; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921318007809
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: PNe are known to be photoionized objects. However they also have low-ionization structures (LIS) with different excitation behavior. We are only now starting to answer why most LIS have lower electron densities than the PN shells hosting them, and whether or not their intense emission in low-ionization lines is the key to their main excitation mechanism. Can LIS line ratios, chemical abundances and kinematics enlight the interplay between the different excitation and formation processes in PNe? Based on the spectra of five PNe with LIS and using new diagnostic diagrams from shock models, we demonstrate that LIS's main excitation is due to shocks, whereas the other components are mainly photoionized. We propose new diagnostic diagrams involving a few emission lines ([N II], [O III], [S II]) and fshocks /f*, where fshocks and f* are the ionization photon fluxes due to the shocks and to the central star ionizing continuum, respectively.