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| Paper: |
Abundance Patterns in Planetary Nebulae |
| Volume: |
199, Asymmetrical Planetary Nebulae II: From Origins to Microstructures |
| Page: |
329 |
| Authors: |
Kwitter, Karen B.; Henry, Richard B. C. |
| Abstract: |
We previously determined abundances of He, C, N, O, and Ne for a sample of planetary nebulae (PNe) representing a broad range in progenitor mass and metallicity, and we now compare them with theoretical predictions of PNe abundances from a grid of intermediate- mass star models. We find very good agreement between observations and theory, lending strong support to our current understanding of nucleosynthesis in stars below 8M⊙ in birth mass. In particular, C and N abundance patterns are consistent with the occurrence of hot-bottom burning in stars above roughly 3.5M⊙, a process that converts much of 12C into 14N during the AGB phase. This agreement also supports the validity of published stellar yields of C and N in the study of the abundance evolution of these elements. |
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