Radio and infrared emission from a [WC] type
planetary nebula in the LMC
A.A. Zijlstra, P.A.M. van Hoof, J.M. Chapman, C. Loup
published in: A&A 290, 228 (1994)
Radio continuum emission has been detected from a planetary nebula in
the Large Magellanic Cloud: this is the first radio continuum
detection for any planetary nebula outside our galaxy. The radio flux
density is a factor of two lower than predicted from the H beta
flux. This could be due either to a two-component morphology or to a
stellar contribution to the H beta emission. We have modeled the
optical and infrared spectrum using the photo-ionization code Cloudy:
a very good fit is obtained if we assume the nebula is carbon
rich. The derived diameter implies an evolutionary age of the nebula
of < 1000 yr, similar to what is derived from the IRAS colors alone.
The central star, which is of [WC] type, has a much higher stellar
temperature than galactic [WC] stars showing similar circumstellar
IRAS colors. An explanation could be that the expansion velocity of
the nebula is lower than those of its galactic counterparts. This
radio detection indicates that accurate nebular luminosities could be
determined from their radio emission for many LMC planetary nebulae.
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Peter van Hoof
Royal Observatory of Belgium
Ringlaan 3
1180 Brussel
Belgium
email: p DOT vanhoof AT oma DOT be
