Radio Measurements of Planetary Nebulae

Sixty-eight planetary nebulae have been investigated in a series of observations at 10-cm wavelength using the two 90-ft diameter antennas of the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. Of these, 52 were found to have flux densities greater than a minimum detectable level of approximately 10–27 Wm–2 Hz–1. To indicate cases of possible confusion in the radio observations, the measured radio position of each nebula was compared with an accurate optical position. For a number of the stronger nebulae angular widths in the East–West direction and flux densities at 21 cm were also measured. The results lead to the conclusion that the radio emission is thermal, and on this basis the expected flux densities in Hβ have been calculated. A comparison with optical data shows values of the Hβ extinction Δ log FHβ, ranging from zero to approximately 2·0 for NGC 6537 and NGC 6369.A small number of nebulae show prominently the effects of self-absorption in their radio spectra. For two of these, IC 418 and NGC 6572, an attempt has been made to derive accurate optical depths and electron temperatures using models based on Balmer-line isophotes. The temperature values have large uncertainties, but appear to be less than the values derived from forbidden-line ratios by a factor of at least 1·5. A possible explanation of this difference in terms of temperature variations within the nebulae is discussed.Preliminary results of observations to detect absorption features at the wavelength of the 21-cm hydrogen line are described for 6 nebulae with high radio-flux densities. Two nebulae, NGC 6369 and NGC 6857 show absorption which is probably attributable to hydrogen clouds within the galaxy. No definite evidence of absorption at frequencies near the radial velocities of the nebulae was found, and an upper limit on the mass of neutral hydrogen in two nebulae is briefly discussed.