An Introduction to Planetary Nebulae

Preface

Acknowledgements

About the author

1 Introduction

1.1 Planetary Nebulae

1.2 Discovery and History

1.2.1 Initial Discovery

1.2.2 Naming

1.2.3 The Road to Understanding

1.2.4 Origins and Fate Revealed

1.2.5 Methods of Discovery

1.3 Components of Planetary Nebulae

1.3.1 Nebular Envelope

1.3.2 Central Star

Bibliography

2 Formation of Planetary Nebulae

2.1 Planetary Nebulae as a Stage in Stellar Evolution

2.1.1 Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

2.1.2 Stellar Evolution - Main Sequence to the AGB

2.1.3 Evolution to the Asymptotic Giant Branch

2.1.4 The Asymptotic Giant Branch

2.1.5 Mass Loss

2.2 Proto-planetary Nebulae

2.2.1 Morphology

2.3 Progenitor masses

2.3.1 Calculation of white dwarf mass

2.3.2 Calculation of progenitor mass

2.3.3 Fate Outside of the Bounds

2.4 Post Planetary Nebula

2.4.1 White Dwarf Physical Characteristics

2.4.2 White Dwarf Observational and Chemical Characteristics

2.5 Interacting Stellar Winds

2.5.1 The Model

2.5.2 Limitations of the Model

Bibliography

3 Observational Data of Planetary Nebulae

3.1 Chemical Abundance

3.1.1 Observed Abundance

3.1.2 Galactic Chemical Gradient

3.1.3 Galactic Chemical Enrichment

3.2 Distance Determination

3.2.1 Difficulties in Determining Distance

3.2.2 Techniques for Determining Distance

Bibliography

4 Planetary Nebula Morphology

4.1 Classifying Planetary Nebulae

4.1.1 Chemical Classification

4.1.2 Morphological Classification

4.2 Morphology, Classification and Planetary Nebulae Evolution

4.2.1 Morphology and Planetary Nebulae Abundance

4.2.2 Morphology and Progenitor Star Mass

4.3 Explaining Morphology

4.3.1 Round Morphology

4.3.2 Elliptical Morphology

4.3.3 Bipolar Morphology

4.3.4 Point Symmetric Morphology

4.4 Concluding Remarks

Bibliography

Glossary

Symbols