arXiv subjects

M. Pena

Publications and source records attributed to M. Pena.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Processing the 2D and 3D Fresnel experimental databases via topological derivative methods

This paper presents reconstructions of homogeneous targets from the 2D and 3D Fresnel databases by one-step imaging methods based on the computation of topological derivative and topological energy fields. The electromagnetic inverse scattering problem is recast as a constrained optimization problem, in which we seek to minimize the error when comparing experimental microwave measurements with computer-generated synthetic data for arbitrary targets by approximating a Maxwell forward model. The true targets are then characterized by combining the topological derivatives or energies of such shape functionals for all available receivers and emitters at different frequencies. Our approximations are comparable to the best approximations already obtained by other methods. However, these topological fields admit easy to evaluate closed-form expressions, which speeds up the process.

math.AP↗

arXiv2013

Planetary nebulae and HII regions in the spiral galaxy NGC 300. Clues on the evolution of abundance gradients and on AGB nucleosynthesis

We have obtained deep spectra of 26 planetary nebulae (PNe) and 9 compact HII regions in the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 300, and analyzed them together with those of the giant HII regions previously observed. We have determined the physical properties of all these objects and their He, N, O, Ne, S and Ar abundances in a consistent way. We find that, globally, compact HII regions have abundance ratios similar to those of giant HII regions, while PNe have systematically larger N/O ratios and similar Ne/O and Ar/O ratios. We demonstrate that the nitrogen enhancement in PNe cannot be only due to second dredge-up in the progenitor stars, since their initial masses are around 2--2.5\,\msun. An extra mixing process is required, perhaps driven by stellar rotation. Concerning the radial abundance distribution, PNe behave differently from HII regions: in the central part of the galaxy their average O/H abundance ratio is 0.15 dex smaller. Their abundance dispersion at any galactocentric radius is significantly larger than that shown by HII regions and many of them have O/H values higher than HII regions at the same galactocentric distance. This suggests that not only nitrogen, but also oxygen is affected by nucleosynthesis in the PN progenitors, by an amount which depends at least on the stellar rotation velocity and possibly other parameters. The formal O/H, Ne/H and Ar/He abundance gradients from PNe are significantly shallower that from HII regions. We argue that this indicates a steepening of the metallicity gradient in NGC 300 during the last Gyr, rather than an effect of radial stellar motions, although the large observed dispersion makes this conclusion only tentative.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

The chemical composition of TS 01, the most oxygen-deficient planetary nebula. AGB nucleosynthesis in a metal-poor binary star

The planetary nebula TS 01 (also called PN G 135.9+55.9 or SBS 1150+599A), with its record-holding low oxygen abundance and its double degenerate close binary core (period 3.9 h), is an exceptional object located in the Galactic halo. We have secured observational data in a complete wavelength range in order to pin down the abundances of half a dozen elements in the nebula. The abundances are obtained via detailed photoionization modelling taking into account all the observational constraints (including geometry and aperture effects) using the pseudo-3D photoionization code Cloudy_3D. The spectral energy distribution of the ionizing radiation is taken from appropriate model atmospheres. Both stellar components contribute to the ionization: the ``cool'' one provides the bulk of hydrogen ionization, and the ``hot'' one is responsible for the presence of the most highly charged ions, which explains why previous attempts to model the nebula experienced difficulties. The nebular abundances of C, N, O, and Ne are found to be respectively, 1/3.5, 1/4.2, 1/70, and 1/11 of the Solar value, with uncertainties of a factor 2. Thus the extreme O deficiency of this object is confirmed. The abundances of S and Ar are less than 1/30 of Solar. Standard models of stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis cannot explain the abundance pattern observed in the nebula. To obtain an extreme oxygen deficiency in a star whose progenitor has an initial mass of about 1 msun requires an additional mixing process, which can be induced by stellar rotation and/or by the presence of the close companion. We have computed a stellar model with initial mass of 1 msun, appropriate metallicity, and initial rotation of 100 kms, and find that rotation greatly improves the agreement between the predicted and observed abundances.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2007

A catalog of planetary nebula candidates and HII regions in NGC 3109

Images obtained with the ESO VLT and FORS1 in [O III] 5007 on- and off-band as well as r_Gunn filters are analyzed to search for Planetary Nebula (PN) candidates in the dwarf irregular NGC 3109. In the continuum-subtracted [O III] 5007 on-band images, a large number of emission-line regions were detected. We describe the criteria employed in order to distinguish PN candidates from compact HII regions, finding that the sizes and the properties of the ionizing stars are the most unambiguous discriminators for separating the two classes. Based upon these criteria, we have found 20 PN candidates for which we present coordinates, nebular [O III] fluxes, and stellar magnitudes. The cumulative luminosity function for these PNe is discussed. A catalog of HII regions listing coordinates, nebular [O III] fluxes, stellar magnitudes and other characteristics is also presented. We find that HII regions are rather concentrated towards the disk of the galaxy, while PNe are found also above and below this structure, consistent with their belonging to an older stellar population.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Galactic Planetary Nebulae with Wolf-Rayet Nuclei III. Kinematical Analysis of a Large Sample of Nebulae

Expansion velocities (Vexp) of different ions and line widths at the base of the lines are measured and analyzed for 24 PNe with [WC]-type nuclei (WRPNe), 9 PNe ionized by WELS (WLPNe) and 14 ordinary PNe. A comparative study of the kinematical behavior of the sample clearly demonstrates that WRPNe have in average 40-45% larger Vexp, and possibly more turbulence than WLPNe and ordinary PNe. WLPNe have velocity fields very much alike the ones of ordinary PNe, rather than the ones of WRPNe. All the samples (WRPNe, WLPNe and ordinary PNe) show expansion velocities increasing with age indicators, for example is larger for low-density nebulae and also it is larger for nebulae around high-temperature stars. This age effect is much stronger for evolved WRPNe, suggesting that the [WC] winds have been accelerating the nebulae for a long time, while for non-WRPNe the acceleration seems to stop at some point when the star reaches a temperature of about 90,000-100,000 K. Non-WR nebulae reach a maximum Vexp < 30 km/s while evolved WRPNe reach maximum Vexp of about 40 km/s. For all kind of objects (WRPNe and non-WRPNe) it is found that in average Vexp(N+) is slightly larger than Vexp(O++), indicating that the nebulae present acceleration of the external shells.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

On the most metal-poor PN and its binary central star

PN G135.9+55.9 is the most metal-poor PN known in our Galaxy. The central star resides in a short-period binary system with a compact component, probably a white dwarf. We describe new observations, which allowed us to determine the orbital period. The lower limit for the combined mass of both stars is close to the Chandrasekhar limit for white dwarfs, making this binary a possible progenitor of a supernova type Ia. The binary system must have recently emerged from a common envelope phase.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

NEBU_3D: A fast pseudo-3D photoionization code for aspherical planetary nebulae and HII regions

We describe a pseudo-3D photoionization code, NEBU_3D and its associated visualization tool, VIS_NEB3D, which are able to easily and rapidly treat a wide variety of nebular geometries, by combining models obtained with a 1D photoionization code. We also present a tool, VELNEB_3D, which can be applied to the results of 1D or 3D photoionization codes to generate emission line profiles, position-velocity maps and 3D maps in any emission line by assuming an arbitrary velocity field. As examples of the capabilities of these new tools, we consider three very different theoretical cases. The first one is a blister HII region, for which we have also constructed a spherical model (the spherical impostor) which has exactly the same Hbeta surface brightness distribution as the blister model and the same ionizing star. The second example shows how complex line profiles can be obtained even with a simple expansion law if the nebula is bipolar and the slit slightly off-center. The third example shows different ways to produce line profiles that could be attributed to a turbulent velocity field while there is no turbulence in the model.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

The Low Excitation Planetary Nebulae HuDo 1 and HuBi 1 and their [WC10] Central Stars

Low- and high-resolution spectra of the planetary nebulae HuDo 1 and HuBi 1, around [WC-late] stars, are analyzed. The objects belong to the galactic disk, with heliocentric radial velocities of -12 km/s (HuDo 1) and 57 km/s (HuBi 1). C(Hbeta) reddening values are of 2.04 for HuDo 1 and 1.22 for HuBi 1. Plasma line ratios are used to estimate physical conditions and abundances. We find log (O/H)+12 = 8.43 and 8.57, and N/O = 0.2 and 0.1 for HuDo 1 and HuBi 1 respectively. HuBi 1 is the only PN excited by a very late [WC] star showing intense nebular HeI recombination lines. From the stellar lines we derive a [WC 10] type for both stars, although HuBi 1 central star should be slightly hotter for providing a large amount of He^0 ionizing photons. Nebular and stellar parameters of HuDo 1 and HuBi 1 are compared with those of other [WC 10] objects, concluding that the stars of HuDo 1 and HuBi 1 should be intrinsically fainter. In particular HuBi 1 seems a low-density evolved nebula around a low-mass slowly-evolving star.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Modelling of aspherical nebulae. I. A quick pseudo-3D photoionization code

We describe a pseudo-3D photoionization code, NEBU_3D and its associated visualization tool, VIS_NEB3D, which are able to easily and rapidly treat a wide variety of nebular geometries, by combining models obtained with a 1D photoionization code. The only requirement for the code to work is that the ionization source is uniqu e and not extended. It is applicable as long as the diffuse ionizing radiation f ield is not dominant and strongly inhomogeneous. As examples of the capabilities of these new tools, we consider two very differ ent theoretical cases. One is that of a high excitation planetary nebula that ha s an ellipsoidal shape with two polar density knots. The other one is that of a blister HII region, for which we have also constructed a spherical model (the sp herical impostor) which has exactly the same Hbeta surface brightness distrib ution as the blister model and the same ionizing star. These two examples warn against preconceived ideas when interpreting spectroscop ic and imaging data of HII regions and planetary nebulae. The tools NEBU_3D and VIS_NEB3D, which will be made publicly available in the future, should facilitat e the performance of numerical experiments, to yield a better understanding of t he physics of aspherical ionized nebulae.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

The extreme Type I planetary nebula M2-52

High-resolution spectrophotometric data of the central zone of the Br-type planetary nebula M2-52 are presented. The nebula has a rich spectrum, with high and low excitation lines. The chemical composition derived from the spectra shows that He and N are very enhanced in M2-52. Thus, this object can be classified as an extreme Peimbert's Type I PN. The chemical composition of the ionized gas is: He/H =0.165 +/- 0.010, O/H = (2.6 +/- 0.5)E-04, N/O = 2.3 +/- 0.3, Ne/O = 0.37 +/-0.10, Ar/O = (9.2 +/- 2.0)E-03 and S/O > 2.0 E-03. The expansion velocity of the nebula is, on average, about 20 +/- 2 km/s, but the low ionization species (N+ and S+) seem to show systematically slightly lower expansion velocities (18 km/s) than O(++) and He+ which have v(exp) = 20 km/s while H+ and He(++) present v(exp) = 22 km/s. This behavior could indicate that the outer zones of the ionized gas are being decelerated by the molecular ring located around the central star.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Galactic planetary nebulae with Wolf-Rayet nuclei. II. A consistent observational data set

We present high resolution spectrophotometric data for 34 galactic planetary nebulae with [WC] nuclei (WRPNe).The sample includes PNe with early and late [WC] stars and some WELS. Physical conditions and chemical abundances have been derived and expansion velocities were estimated for most objects of the sample. A statistical study was developed to find fundamental relationships between the nebular and central star parameters.We found evidence for a strong unexpected electron temperature gradient in WRPNe which is related to nebular excitation. Abundance ratios indicate that there seems to be no preferential stellar mass for the WR phenomenon to occur in the nucleus of a planetary nebula. The PNe M 1-25 and M 1-32 were found to have very small Ne/O ratios.Our data confirm the trend of the electron density decreasing with decreasing spectral type, which was interpreted as evidence that [WC] stars evolve from late to early [WC] types. On the other hand, the expansion velocities do not show the increase with decreasing spectral type, that one might expect in such a scenario. Two objects with very late [WC] central stars, K 2-16 and PM 1-188, do not follow the general density sequence, being of very low density for their spectral types. We suggest that the stars either underwent a late helium flash (the ``born again'' scenario) or that they have had a particularly slow evolution from the AGB. The 6 WELS of our sample follow the same density vs. [WC]-type relation as the bona fide WRPNe, but they tend to have smaller expansion velocities. The comparison between the WRPNe in the Magellanic Clouds and in the Galaxy indicates that metallicity affects the [WR] phenomenon in central stars of planetary nebulae.

astro-ph↗