Infrared Spectroscopy of Atomic Lines in Gaseous Nebulae

Abstract

Spectroscopy in the infrared provides a means to assess important properties of the plasma in gaseous nebulae. We present some of our own work that illustrates the need for interactions between the themes of this conference - astronomical data, atomic data, and plasma simulations. We undertook Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) observations with the intent of better understanding the effects of density variations in nebulae, particularly planetary nebulae (PNs), by determining average electron densities from the flux ratios of several fine-structure, IR emission lines. Instead, we are able to ascertain only minor density information because of several instances of the observed line flux ratios being out of range of the theoretical predictions using current atomic data. In these cases, the ISO data cannot presently be used to derive electron density, but rather provide direction for needed improvements in the atomic collision strengths. We have detected an unidentified (uid) strong emission line in an ISO/SWS spectrum of the Orion Nebula. The line has a rest wavelength 2.89350$\pm$0.00003 $μ$m. A long-slit UKIRT observation confirms the presence of this line and shows that the emission is spatially extended and appears to be coincident with the brightest part of the ionized region. We do not detect the uid line in our SWS02 spectra of any of the several bright PNs which we observed for a comparable time. The need for basic atomic data, in this case wavelengths to aid species identification, is paramount for future progress. We look toward the future with a brief synopsis of upcoming or planned IR missions.