Serbian Astronomical Journal (Dec 2008)

Optical Spectra of Radio Planetary Nebulae in the Large Magellanic Cloud

  • Payne, J. L.,
  • Filipović, M. D.,
  • Millar, W. C.,
  • Crawford, E. J.,
  • De Horta, A. Y.,
  • Stootman, F. H.,
  • Urošević, D.

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 177
pp. 53 – 59

Abstract

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We present 11 spectra from 12 candidate radio sources co-identified with known planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Originally found in Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) LMC surveys at 1.4, 4.8 and 8.64~GHz and confirmed by new high resolution ATCA images at 6 and 3~cm (4arcsec/2arcsec), these complement data recently presented for candidate radio PNe in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Their spectra were obtained using the Radcliffe 1.9-meter telescope in Sutherland (South Africa). All of the optical PNe and radio candidates are within 2arcsec and may represent a population of selected radio bright sample only. Nebular ionized masses of these objects are estimated to be as high as 1.8~$M_odot$, supporting the idea that massive PNe progenitor central stars lose much of their mass in the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase or prior. We also identify a sub-population (33\%) of radio PNe candidates with prominent ionized iron emission lines.

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