1999/09/17 by K. B. Kwitter, Karen B. Kwitter, Richard C. Henry +3
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/9909310
4 pages, 2 figures; to appear in "Asymmetrical Planetary Nebulae II: From Origins to Microstructures," ASP Conference Series, J.H. Kastner, N. Soker, and S.A. Rappaport, eds
arxiv created 1999/09/17 · openalex publication_date 1999/09/17 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We previously determined abundances of He, C, N, O, and Ne for a sample of planetary nebulae (PNe) representing a broad range in progenitor mass and metallicity, and we now compare them with theoretical predictions of PNe abundances from a grid of intermediate-mass star models. We find very good agreement between observations and theory, lending strong support to our current understanding of nucleosynthesis in stars below 8Mo in birth mass. In particular, C and N abundance patterns are consistent with the occurrence of hot-bottom burning in stars above roughly 3.5Mo, a process that converts much of 12C into 14N during the AGB phase. This agreement also supports the validity of published stellar yields of C and N in the study of the abundance evolution of these elements.