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Astron. Astrophys. 324, 674-682 (1997)

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Spectroscopic study of the planetary nebulae with Wolf-Rayet nuclei in the Magellanic Clouds

M. Peña 1 * **, M.T. Ruiz 2 * and S. Torres-Peimbert 1 **

1 Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. Postal 70 264, México D.F. 04510, México
2 Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 36-D, Santiago, Chile

Received 12 August 1996 / Accepted 8 January 1997

Abstract

UV and optical spectrophotometric data of planetary nebulae with WR nuclei in the Magellanic Clouds are presented. Analysis of the nebular characteristics shows that the ionized gas, in all the objects, is extremely C-rich, probably due to contamination with freshly-made C from stellar nucleosynthesis. Very high electron densities are found ([FORMULA] [FORMULA] 104 cm-3) which are interpreted as an indication of youth. The central stars are C-rich, with spectral types in the range from WC 4-5 to WC 8. The spectral type distribution is totally different from that found for galactic planetary nebulae with WR nuclei. Estimates of the stellar visual magnitudes and temperatures are presented. Stellar temperatures over 60 000 K were derived for all the objects, with some cases exceeding 100 000 K. These high temperatures however do not produce high excitation nebulae.

Key words: Magellanic Clouds – planetary nebulae: general – ISM: abundances – stars: Wolf-Rayet – stars: fundamental parameters

* Visiting astronomer at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory operated by AURA under contract with the NSF.
** Guest observer with the International Ultraviolet Satellite operated by NASA.

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© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1997

Online publication: May 26, 1998

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