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The IRS Spitzer Spectra of the Magellanic Cloud Planetary Nebulae: Revealing the Dust and Gas Chemistry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 December 2006

L. Stanghellini
Affiliation:
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 N Cherry Avenue, Tucson AZ 85719, USA On leave, INAF-Bologna Observatory
P. García-Lario
Affiliation:
European Space Astronomy Centre. Research and Scientific Support Department of ESA. Villafranca del Castillo, P.O. Box 50727. E-28080 Madrid, Spain ISO Data Centre and Herschel Science Centre. European Space Astronomy Centre. Research and Scientific Support Department of ESA
A. Manchado
Affiliation:
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, vía Láctea s/n, La Laguna, E-38200 Tenerife, Spain; affiliated to CSIC, Spain
J. V. Perea-Calderón
Affiliation:
European Space Astronomy Centre. Research and Scientific Support Department of ESA. Villafranca del Castillo, P.O. Box 50727. E-28080 Madrid, Spain
D. A. García-Hernández
Affiliation:
European Space Astronomy Centre. Research and Scientific Support Department of ESA. Villafranca del Castillo, P.O. Box 50727. E-28080 Madrid, Spain
R. A. Shaw
Affiliation:
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 N Cherry Avenue, Tucson AZ 85719, USA
E. Villaver
Affiliation:
Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore MD 21218, USA; affiliated to the Hubble Space Telescope Department of ESA
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Abstract

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Planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Magellanic Clouds (LMC, SMC) offer a unique opportunity to study both the population and evolution of low- and intermediate-mass stars in an environment which is free of the distance scale bias that hinders Galactic PN studies. The emission shown by PNe in the 5–40 $\mu$m range is characterized by the presence of a combination of solid state features (from the dust grains) and nebular emission lines superimposed on a strong dust continuum. We acquired low resolution IRS spectroscopy of a selected sample of LMC and SMC PNe whose morphology, size, central star brightness, and chemical composition are known. The data have been acquired and reduced, and the IRS spectra show outstanding quality as well as very interesting features. The preliminary analysis presented here allows to determine strong correlations between gas and dust composition, and nebular morphology. More detailed analysis in the future will deepen our knowledge of the mass-loss mechanism, its efficiency, and its relation to PN morphology.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
© 2006 International Astronomical Union