arXiv subjects

Kyle F. Kaplan

Publications and source records attributed to Kyle F. Kaplan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The s-process at Subsolar Metallicity: Insights from High-Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy of Magellanic Cloud Planetary Nebulae

We present observations of 12 Magellanic Cloud planetary nebulae (PNe) obtained with the high-resolution near-infrared spectrometer IGRINS on Gemini South. In 10 targets we detect multiple neutron(n)-capture elements that can be synthesized by the s-process during the preceding asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase, including the widely-observed species Se and Kr, and first detections of Rb, Cd, and Te in extragalactic PNe. The derived abundances significantly expand the inventory of trans-iron element abundance determinations from PNe in subsolar metallicity stellar populations. Seven targets exhibit s-process enrichments relative to the metallicity references O and Ar, with abundances elevated by factors of up to ~40-50 for Te and Kr. We compare these results with AGB nucleosynthesis predictions, using a machine-learning algorithm to find the best-fitting Monash, FRUITY, and NuGrid models. For five of the PNe, Monash and FRUITY models with 2-4 solar masses and metallicities from 1/3 solar to near-solar match the observations well, although the Monash models more successfully fit the largest Kr enhancements. NuGrid models predict smaller s-process enrichments than observed, but the limited number of available models makes it difficult to assess their ability to reproduce the observed abundances. We were unable to find models that provide good fits to three other enriched PNe, including the most metal-poor objects in our sample. These comparisons address uncertainties in mass loss, convection, and other mixing mechanisms during the late evolution of low- and intermediate-mass stars, and improve the accuracy of s-process yields of AGB stars, which are key parameters for modeling galactic chemical evolution.

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arXiv2025

JWST observations of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720) -- II. PAH emission

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carbonaceous dust have been observed in clumpy circumstellar environments, yet their formation and evolutionary pathways in such environments remain elusive. We aim to characterize the PAH emission in a clumpy planetary nebula to decipher their formation and evolution pathways. We obtained JWST Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) integral field unit spectroscopic observations of two individual knots in the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720), a clumpy planetary nebula, and determine the PAH spectral characteristics. We detect the 3.3 and 11.2 um PAH emission bands in both knots but do not detect PAH emission in the 6-9 um range. We supplement our data with Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) Short-Low 1 (SL1) and SL2 data, containing 11.2, weak 6.2, and weak 7.7 um PAH emission bands. The JWST data confirm the unusual profile of the 11.2 um band, which is very broad and redshifted with respect to typical 11.2 um PAH profiles. We estimate the PAH population to be largely neutral. The relative integrated surface brightness of the 3.3 and 11.2 um bands indicates the presence of small-sized PAHs, consisting of 35 +/- 6 carbon atoms. We find that the PAH emission is concentrated outside of the clumps, in the inter-clump medium, and confirm the existence of enhanced PAH emission in a narrow 'PAH ring' centred on the central star. This morphology suggests that PAHs formed during the Ring Nebula's asymptotic giant branch phase, in the central star's dust-driven wind.

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arXiv2025

Rubidium Abundances in Cool Giants from High-Resolution H-band Spectra: A New Diagnostic for Galactic Chemical Evolution

The Galactic Center and inner disk of the Milky Way contain complex stellar populations obscured by heavy dust extinction. To study their chemical composition, high-resolution near-infrared (near-IR) spectroscopy is necessary. Expanding the set of elements measurable in the near-IR, especially neutron-capture elements, improves our ability to trace nucleosynthesis and Galactic chemical evolution. This work aims to identify and characterize a spectral line suitable for determining rubidium (Rb) abundances. Rb is produced in roughly equal parts by the r- and s-processes. We analyze high-resolution (R = 45,000) IGRINS near-IR spectra of 40 M giants in the solar neighborhood, most observed with Gemini South. We perform spectral synthesis of the Rb I line at 15289.48 A, using new log(gf) values and including an astrophysical calibration of the blending Fe I lines. The resulting [Rb/Fe] ratios are compared to other neutron-capture elements and interpreted with chemical evolution models. We demonstrate that the used Rb line is a reliable abundance indicator in M giants and the coolest K giants, but becomes too weak at higher temperatures. [Rb/Fe] shows a decreasing trend with metallicity, mirroring that of ytterbium (Yb), another mixed r-/s-process element. Our results agree with optical studies, validating the use of this near-IR line. Comparisons with chemical evolution models confirm that both s- and r-process sources are needed to explain the Rb trend. This work adds Rb to the list of elements measurable in high-resolution H- and K-band spectra, enabling studies of one more neutron-capture element in dust-obscured regions like the Galactic Center and inner disk.

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arXiv2025

JWST observations of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720): III. A dusty disk around its Central Star

The planetary nebula NGC 6720, also known as the ``Ring Nebula", is one of the most iconic examples of nearby planetary nebulae whose morphologies present a challenge to our theoretical understanding of the processes that govern the deaths of most stars in the Universe that evolve on a Hubble time. We present new imaging with JWST of the central star of this planetary nebula (CSPN) and its close vicinity, in the near- to mid-IR wavelength range. We find the presence of a dust cloud around the CSPN, both from the spectral energy distribution at wavelengths >~5 micron, as well as radially-extended emission in the 7.7, 10 and 11.3 micron images. From modeling of these data, we infer that the CSPN has a luminosity of 310 Lsun and is surrounded by a dust cloud with a size of ~2600 au, consisting of relatively small amorphous silicate dust grains (radius ~0.01 micron) with a total mass of 1.9 x 10^(-6) M_earth. However, our best-fit model shows a significant lack of extended emission at 7.7 micron -- we show that such emission can arise from a smaller (7.3 x 10^(-7) M_earth) but uncertain mass of (stochastically-heated) ionized PAHs. However, the same energetic radiation also rapidly destroys PAH molecules, suggesting that these are most likely being continuously replenished, via the outgassing of cometary bodies and/or the collisional grinding of planetesimals. We also find significant photometric variability of the central source that could be due to the presence of a close dwarf companion of mass < ~0.1 Msun.

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arXiv2025

10 Years of Archival High-Resolution NIR Spectra: The Raw and Reduced IGRINS Spectral Archive (RRISA)

The Immersion GRating INfrared Spectrometer (IGRINS) is a compact, high-resolution (R~45,000) near-infrared spectrograph spanning 1.45 to 2.45 um in a single exposure. We introduce the Raw and Reduced IGRINS Spectral Archive (RRISA), which provides public data access for all non-proprietary IGRINS data taken at McDonald Observatory's Harlan J. Smith Telescope, the Lowell Discovery Telescope (formerly Discovery Channel Telescope), and Gemini South. RRISA provides access to raw files, reduced data products, and cross-matched IGRINS targets with the SIMBAD, 2MASS, Gaia DR3, APOGEE2 DR17, and PASTEL catalogs. We also introduce version 3 of the IGRINS data reduction pipeline, IGRINS PLP v3, which implements an improved cosmic ray correction, pattern noise removal, and a new flexure correction that reduces telluric residuals. RRISA and supporting information can be found at http://igrinscontact.github.io.

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arXiv2024

Composition of Giants 1$^{\circ}$ North of the Galactic Center: Detailed Abundance Trends for 21 Elements Observed with IGRINS

We report the first high resolution, detailed abundances of 21 elements for giants in the Galactic bulge/bar within $1^\circ$ of the Galactic plane, where high extinction has rendered such studies challenging. Our high S/N and high-resolution, near-infrared spectra of 7 M giants in the inner-bulge, located at ($l,b$)=(0,+1$^{\circ}$), are observed using the IGRINS spectrograph. We report the first multi-chemical study of the inner Galactic bulge, by investigating relative to a robust new Solar Neighborhood sample, the abundance trends of 21 elements, including the relatively difficult to study heavy elements. The elements studied are: F, Mg, Si, S, Ca, Na, Al, K, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Ce, Nd, and Yb. We investigate bulge membership of all seven stars using distances and orbital simulations, and find that the most metal-poor star may be a halo interloper. Our investigation shows that the inner-bulge also as close as $1^\circ$ North of the Galactic Center displays a similarity to the inner disk sequence, following the high [$α$/Fe] envelope of the Solar vicinity metal-rich population, though no firm conclusions for a different enrichment history are evident from this sample. We find a small fraction of metal-poor stars (\feh$<-0.5$) but most of our stars are mainly of super-solar metallicity. Fluorine is found to be enhanced at high metallicity compared to the solar neighbourhood, but confirmation with a larger sample is required. We will apply this approach to explore populations of the Nuclear Stellar Disk and the Nuclear Star Cluster.

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arXiv2023

JWST observations of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720): I. Imaging of the rings, globules, and arcs

We present JWST images of the well-known planetary nebula NGC 6720 (the Ring Nebula), covering wavelengths from 1.6$μ$m to 25 $μ$m. The bright shell is strongly fragmented with some 20 000 dense globules, bright in H$_2$, with a characteristic diameter of 0.2 arcsec and density $n_{\rm H} \sim 10^5$-$10^6$ cm$^{-3}$. The shell contains a thin ring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission. H$_2$ is found throughout the shell and in the halo. H$_2$ in the halo may be located on the swept-up walls of a biconal polar flow. The central cavity is shown to be filled with high ionization gas and shows two linear structures. The central star is located 2 arcsec from the emission centroid of the cavity and shell. Linear features (`spikes') extend outward from the ring, pointing away from the central star. Hydrodynamical simulations are shown which reproduce the clumping and possibly the spikes. Around ten low-contrast, regularly spaced concentric arc-like features are present; they suggest orbital modulation by a low-mass companion with a period of about 280 yr. A previously known much wider companion is located at a projected separation of about 15 000 au; we show that it is an M2-M4 dwarf. The system is therefore a triple star. These features, including the multiplicity, are similar to those seen in the Southern Ring Nebula (NGC 3132) and may be a common aspect of such nebulae.

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arXiv2021

A Near-infrared Survey of UV-excited Molecular Hydrogen in Photodissociation Regions

We present a comparative study of the near-infrared (NIR) H$_2$ line emission from five regions near hot young stars: Sharpless 140, NGC 2023, IC 63, the Horsehead Nebula, and the Orion Bar. This emission originates in photodissociation or photon-dominated regions (PDRs), interfaces between photoionized and molecular gas near hot (O) stars or reflection nebulae illuminated by somewhat cooler (B) stars. In these environments, the dominant excitation mechanism for NIR emission lines originating from excited rotational-vibrational (rovibrational) levels of the ground electronic state is radiative or UV excitation (fluorescence), wherein absorption of far-UV photons pumps H$_2$ molecules into excited electronic states from which they decay into the upper levels of the NIR lines. Our sources span a range of UV radiation fields ($G_0 = 10^2$-$10^5$) and gas densities ($n_H = 10^4$-$10^6$ cm$^{-3}$), enabling examination of how these properties affect the emergent spectrum. We obtained high-resolution ($R \approx 45,000$) spectra spanning $1.45$-$2.45$~$μ$m on the 2.7m Harlan J. Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory with the Immersion Grating INfrared Spectrometer (IGRINS), detecting up to over 170 transitions per source from excited vibrational states ($v = 1$-$14$). The populations of individual rovibrational levels derived from these data clearly confirm UV excitation. Among the five PDRs in our survey, the Orion Bar shows the greatest deviation of the populations and spectrum from pure UV excitation, while Sharpless 140 shows the least deviation. However, we find that all five PDRs exhibit at least some modification of the level populations relative to their values under pure UV excitation, a result we attribute to collisional effects.

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arXiv2021

The IGRINS YSO Survey I. Stellar parameters of pre-main sequence stars in Taurus-Auriga

We present fundamental parameters for 110 canonical K- & M-type (1.3$-$0.13$M_\odot$) Taurus-Auriga young stellar objects (YSOs). The analysis produces a simultaneous determination of effective temperature ($T_{\rm eff}$), surface gravity ($\log$ g), magnetic field strength (B), and projected rotational velocity ($v \sin i$). Our method employed synthetic spectra and high-resolution (R$\sim$45,000) near-infrared spectra taken with the Immersion GRating INfrared Spectrometer (IGRINS) to fit specific K-band spectral regions most sensitive to those parameters. The use of these high-resolution spectra reduces the influence of distance uncertainties, reddening, and non-photospheric continuum emission on the parameter determinations. The median total (fit + systematic) uncertainties were 170 K, 0.28 dex, 0.60 kG, 2.5 km s$^{-1}$ for $T_{\rm eff}$, $\log$ g, B, and $v \sin i$, respectively. We determined B for 41 Taurus YSOs (upper limits for the remainder) and find systematic offsets (lower $T_{\rm eff}$, higher $\log$ g and $v \sin i$) in parameters when B is measurable but not considered in the fit. The average $\log$ g for the Class II and Class III objects differs by 0.23$\pm$0.05dex, which is consistent with Class III objects being the more evolved members of the star-forming region. However, the dispersion in $\log$ g is greater than the uncertainties, which highlights how the YSO classification correlates with age ($\log$ g), yet there are exceptionally young (lower $\log$ g) Class III YSOs and relatively old (higher $\log$ g) Class II YSOs with unexplained evolutionary histories. The spectra from this work are provided in an online repository along with TW Hydrae Association (TWA) comparison objects and the model grid used in our analysis.

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arXiv2020

Chemical Compositions of Red Giant Stars from Habitable Zone Planet Finder Spectroscopy

We have used the Habitable Zone Planet Finder (HPF) to gather high resolution, high signal-to-noise near-infrared spectra of 13 field red horizontal-branch (RHB) stars, one open-cluster giant, and one very metal-poor halo red giant. The HPF spectra cover the 0.81$-$1.28 \micron\ wavelength range of the $zyJ$ bands, filling in the gap between the optical (0.4$-$1.0~\micron) and infrared (1.5$-$2.4~\micron) spectra already available for the program stars. We derive abundances of 17 species from LTE-based computations involving equivalent widths and spectrum syntheses, and estimate abundance corrections for the species that are most affected by departures from LTE in RHB stars. Generally good agreement is found between HPF-based metallicities and abundance ratios and those from the optical and infrared spectral regions. Light element transitions dominate the HPF spectra of these red giants, and HPF data can be used to derive abundances from species with poor or no representation in optical spectra (\eg, \species{C}{i}, \species{P}{i}, \species{S}{i}, \species{K}{i}). Attention is drawn to the HPF abundances in two field solar-metallicity RHB stars of special interest: one with an extreme carbon isotope ratio, and one with a rare very large lithium content. The latter star is unique in our sample by exhibiting very strong \species{He}{i} 10830~Å absorption. The abundances of the open cluster giant concur with those derived from other wavelength regions. Detections of \species{C}{i} and \species{S}{i} in HD~122563 are reported, yielding the lowest metallicity determination of [S/Fe] from more than one multiplet.

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arXiv2020

Fluorine in the solar neighbourhood: the need for several cosmic sources

The cosmic origin of fluorine is still not well constrained. Several nucleosynthetic channels at different phases of stellar evolution have been suggested, but these must be constrained by observations. For this, the fluorine abundance trend with metallicity spanning a wide range is required. Our aim is to determine stellar abundances of fluorine for -1.1<[Fe/H]<+0.4. We determine the abundances from HF lines in infrared K-band spectra (at 2.3 microns) of cool giants, observed with the IGRINS and Phoenix high-resolution spectrographs. We derive accurate stellar parameters for all our observed K giants, which is important since the HF lines are very temperature sensitive. We find that [F/Fe] is flat as a function of metallicity at [F/Fe]~0, but increases as the metallicity increases. The fluorine slope shows a clear secondary behavior in this metallicity range. We also find that the [F/Ce] ratio is relatively flat for -0.6<[Fe/H]<0, and that for two metal-poor ([Fe/H]<-0.8), s-process element enhanced giants, we do not detect an elevated fluorine abundance. We interpret all these observational constraints to indicate that several major processes are at play for the cosmic budget of fluorine over time; from those in massive stars at low metallicities, through the asymptotic giant branch-star contribution at -0.6<[Fe/H]<0, to processes with increasing yields with metallicity at super-solar metallicities. The origins of the latter, and whether or not Wolf-Rayet stars and/or novae could contribute at super-solar metallicities, is currently not known. To quantify these observational results, theoretical modelling is required. More observations in the metal-poor region are required to clarify the processes there.

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arXiv2020

IGRINS Slit-Viewing Camera Software

We have developed observation control software for the Immersion GRating INfrared Spectrometer (IGRINS) slit-viewing camera module, which maintains the position of an astronomical target on the spectroscopic slit. It is composed of several packages that monitor and control the system, acquire the images, and compensate for the tracking error by sending tracking feedback information to the telescope control system. For efficient development and maintenance of each software package, we have applied software engineering methods, i.e., a spiral software development with model-based design. It is not trivial to define the shape and center of astronomical object point spread functions (PSFs), which do not have symmetric Gaussian profiles in short exposure (<4 s) guiding images. Efforts to determine the PSF centroid are additionally complicated by the core saturation of bright guide stars. We have applied both a two-dimensional Gaussian fitting algorithm (2DGA) and center balancing algorithm (CBA) to identify an appropriate method for IGRINS in the near-infrared K-band. The CBA derives the expected center position along the slit-width by referencing the spillover flux ratio of the PSF wings on both sides of the slit. In this research, we have compared the accuracy and reliability of the CBA to the 2DGA by using data from IGRINS commissioning observations at McDonald Observatory. We find that the performance of each algorithm depends on the brightness of the targets and the seeing conditions, with the CBA performing better in typical observing scenarios. The algorithms and test results we present can be utilized with future spectroscopic slit observations in various observing conditions and for a variety of spectrograph designs.

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arXiv2020

The VIRUS-P Exploration of Nearby Galaxies (VENGA): The stellar populations and assembly of NGC 2903's bulge, bar, and outer disc

We study the stellar populations and assembly of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 2903's bulge, bar, and outer disc using the VIRUS-P Exploration of Nearby Galaxies IFS survey. We observe NGC 2903 with a spatial resolution of 185 pc using the Mitchell Spectrograph's 4.25 arcsec fibres at the 2.7 Harlan J. Smith telescope. Bulge-bar-disc decomposition on the 2MASS Ks-band image of NGC 2903 shows that it has ~6%, 6%, and 88%, of its stellar mass in the bulge, bar, and outer disc, respectively, and its bulge has a low Sersic index of ~0.27, suggestive of a disky bulge. We perform stellar population synthesis and find that the outer disc has 46% of its mass in stars >5 Gyr, 48% in stars between 1 and 5 Gyr, and <10% in younger stars. Its stellar bar has 65% of its mass in ages 1-5 Gyr and has metallicities similar to the outer disc, suggestive of the evolutionary picture where the bar forms from disc material. Its bulge is mainly composed of old high-metallicity stars though it also has a small fraction of young stars. We find enhanced metallicity in the spiral arms and central region, tracing areas of high star formation as seen in the Halpha map. These results are consistent with the idea that galaxies of low bulge-to-total mass ratio and low bulge Sersic index like NGC 2903 has not had a recent major merger event, but has instead grown mostly through minor mergers and secular processes.

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arXiv2019

Impact of crosshatch patterns in H2RGs on high precision radial velocity measurements: Exploration of measurement and mitigation paths with HPF

Teledyne's H2RG detector images suffer from cross-hatch like patterns which arises from sub-pixel quantum efficiency (QE) variation. In this paper we present our measurements of this sub-pixel QE variation in the Habitable-Zone Planet Finder's H2RG detector. We present a simple model to estimate the impact of sub-pixel QE variations on the radial velocity, and how a first order correction can be implemented to correct for the artifact in the spectrum. We also present how the HPF's future upgraded laser frequency comb will enable us to implement this correction.

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arXiv2019

Ultra-Stable Environment Control for the NEID Spectrometer: Design and Performance Demonstration

Two key areas of emphasis in contemporary experimental exoplanet science are the detailed characterization of transiting terrestrial planets, and the search for Earth analog planets to be targeted by future imaging missions. Both of these pursuits are dependent on an order-of-magnitude improvement in the measurement of stellar radial velocities (RV), setting a requirement on single-measurement instrumental uncertainty of order 10 cm/s. Achieving such extraordinary precision on a high-resolution spectrometer requires thermo-mechanically stabilizing the instrument to unprecedented levels. Here, we describe the Environment Control System (ECS) of the NEID Spectrometer, which will be commissioned on the 3.5 m WIYN Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in 2019, and has a performance specification of on-sky RV precision < 50 cm/s. Because NEID's optical table and mounts are made from aluminum, which has a high coefficient of thermal expansion, sub-milliKelvin temperature control is especially critical. NEID inherits its ECS from that of the Habitable-zone Planet Finder (HPF), but with modifications for improved performance and operation near room temperature. Our full-system stability test shows the NEID system exceeds the already impressive performance of HPF, maintaining vacuum pressures below $10^{-6}$ Torr and an RMS temperature stability better than 0.4 mK over 30 days. Our ECS design is fully open-source; the design of our temperature-controlled vacuum chamber has already been made public, and here we release the electrical schematics for our custom Temperature Monitoring and Control (TMC) system.

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arXiv2019

Stellar Spectroscopy in the Near-infrared with a Laser Frequency Comb

The discovery and characterization of exoplanets around nearby stars is driven by profound scientific questions about the uniqueness of Earth and our Solar System, and the conditions under which life could exist elsewhere in our Galaxy. Doppler spectroscopy, or the radial velocity (RV) technique, has been used extensively to identify hundreds of exoplanets, but with notable challenges in detecting terrestrial mass planets orbiting within habitable zones. We describe infrared RV spectroscopy at the 10 m Hobby-Eberly telescope that leverages a 30 GHz electro-optic laser frequency comb with nanophotonic supercontinuum to calibrate the Habitable Zone Planet Finder spectrograph. Demonstrated instrument precision <10 cm/s and stellar RVs approaching 1 m/s open the path to discovery and confirmation of habitable zone planets around M-dwarfs, the most ubiquitous type of stars in our Galaxy.

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arXiv2018

IGRINS Spectral Library

We present a library of high-resolution (R $\equiv$ $λ$/$Δ$$λ$ $\sim$ 45,000) and high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N $\geq$ 200) near-infrared spectra for stars of a wide range of spectral types and luminosity classes. The spectra were obtained with the Immersion GRating INfrared Spectrograph (IGRINS) covering the full range of the H (1.496-1.780 $μ$m) and K (2.080-2.460 $μ$m) atmospheric windows. The targets were primarily selected for being MK standard stars covering a wide range of effective temperatures and surface gravities with metallicities close to the Solar value. Currently, the library includes flux-calibrated and telluric-absorption-corrected spectra of 84 stars, with prospects for expansion to provide denser coverage of the parametric space. Throughout the H and K atmospheric windows, we identified spectral lines that are sensitive to $T_\mathrm{eff}$ or $\log g$ and defined corresponding spectral indices. We also provide their equivalent widths. For those indices, we derive empirical relations between the measured equivalent widths and the stellar atmospheric parameters. Therefore, the derived empirical equations can be used to calculate $T_\mathrm{eff}$ and $\log g$ of a star without requiring stellar atmospheric models.

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arXiv2018

Neutron-Capture elements in planetary nebulae: first detections of near-Infrared [Te III] and [Br V] emission lines

We have identified two new near-infrared emission lines in the spectra of planetary nebulae (PNe) arising from heavy elements produced by neutron capture reactions: [Te III] 2.1019 $μ$m and [Br V] 1.6429 $μ$m. [Te III] was detected in both NGC 7027 and IC 418, while [Br V] was seen in NGC 7027. The observations were obtained with the medium-resolution spectrograph EMIR on the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias at La Palma, and with the high-resolution spectrograph IGRINS on the 2.7m Harlan J. Smith telescope at McDonald Observatory. New calculations of atomic data for these ions, specifically A-values and collision strengths, are presented and used to derive ionic abundances of Te$^{2+}$ and Br$^{4+}$. We also derive ionic abundances of other neutron-capture elements detected in the near-infrared spectra, and estimate total elemental abundances of Se, Br, Kr, Rb, and Te after correcting for unobserved ions. Comparison of our derived enrichments to theoretical predictions from AGB evolutionary models shows reasonable agreement for solar metallicity progenitor stars of $\sim$2 - 4 M$_{\odot}$. The spectrally-isolated [Br V] 1.6429 $μ$m line has advantages for determining nebular Br abundances over optical [Br III] emission lines that can be blended with other features. Finally, measurements of Te are of special interest because this element lies beyond the first peak of the s-process, and thus provides new leverage on the abundance pattern of trans-iron species produced by AGB stars.

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