Abundance Analysis of the J4 Equatorial Knot of the Born-again Planetary Nebula A30

A30 belongs to a class of planetary nebulae identified as “born-again”, containing dense, hydrogen-poor ejecta with extreme abundance discrepancy factors (ADFs), likely associated with a central binary system. We present intermediate-dispersion spectroscopy of one such feature—the J4 equatorial knot. We confirm the apparent physical and chemical segregation of the polar and equatorial knots observed in previous studies, and place an upper limit on the ADF for O2+ of 35, significantly lower than that of the polar knots. These findings further reinforce the theory that the equatorial and polar knots originate from different events.

Planetary nebulae with Wolf-Rayet-type central stars - II. Dissecting the compact planetary nebula M 2-31 with GTC MEGARA

We present a comprehensive analysis of the compact planetary nebula M 2-31 investigating its spectral properties, spatio-kinematical structure and chemical composition using GTC MEGARA integral field spectroscopic observations and NOT ALFOSC medium-resolution spectra and narrow-band images. The GTC MEGARA high-dispersion observations have remarkable tomographic capabilities, producing an unprecedented view of the morphology and kinematics of M 2-31 that discloses a fast spectroscopic bipolar outflow along position angles 50○ and 230○, an extended shell and a toroidal structure or waist surrounding the central star perpendicularly aligned with the fast outflows. These observations also show that the C ii emission is confined in the central region and enclosed by the [N ii] emission. This is the first time that the spatial segregation revealed by a 2D map of the C ii line implies the presence of multiple plasma components. The deep NOT ALFOSC observations allowed us to detect broad WR features from the central star of M 2-31, including previously undetected broad O vi lines that suggest a reclassification as a [WO4]-type star.

A geometrical model for the evolution of spherical planetary nebulae based on thin-shell formalism

A spherical planetary nebula is described as a geometric model. The nebula itself is considered as a thin-shell, which is visualized as a boundary of two spacetimes. The inner and outer curvature tensors of the thin-shell are found in order to get an expression of the energy-momentum tensor on the thin-shell. The energy density and pressure expressions are derived using the energy-momentum tensor. The time evolution of the radius of the thin-shell is obtained in terms of the energy density. The model is tested by using a simple power function for decreasing energy density and the evolution pattern of the planetary nebula is attained.

The morpho-kinematical structure and chemical abundances of the complex planetary nebula NGC 1514

We present high-resolution, long-slit optical spectra and images of the planetary nebula NGC 1514. The position velocity maps of the [O iii] emission line reveal complex kinematics with multiple structures. A morpho-kinematical analysis suggests an inner shell, originally spherical and now distorted by several bubbles, and an attached outer shell. The two well-defined, mid-infrared rings of NGC 1514 are not detected in our high-resolution, long-slit spectra, which prevented us from doing a kinematical analysis of them. Based exclusively on their morphology, we propose a barrel-like structure to explain the rings. Several ejection processes have been possibly involved in the formation of the nebula although a time sequence is difficult to establish with the current data. We also analyse intermediate-resolution, long-slit spectra with the goal of studying the physical parameters and chemical abundances of NGC 1514. The nebular spectra reveal a moderate-excitation nebula with weak emission lines of [Ar iii], [Ne iii], He i and He ii. No [N ii] neither other low-excitation emission lines are detected. We found an electron temperature around 14000 K in the gas and an electron density in the range of 2000 and 4000 cm−3.