An analysis of the WN shell nebula NGC 6888 using CCD imagery and spectrophotometry

Date
1991
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Abstract

We present a model describing the morphology and physical processes in NGC 6888, a 'wind-blown' nebula around the WN6 star HD192163. CCD imagery with the Palomar 1.5m revealed distinct morphological features that were further probed with spectrophotometry using the KPNO #2 telescope + Intensified Reticon Scanner. Distinctions in morphology in (O III) compared to Hα led to a parametrization into two physical systems: (1). An inner ionized shell observable in all the emission lines, with (N II) T\sbe = 8000 \sp∘K, (O III) T\sbe = 14,000 \sp∘K and (S II) N\sbe = 400 cm\sp−3., (2) The (O III) bubble and rim, visible only in (O III) and characterized by a higher (O III) T\sbe = 50,000 \sp∘K. The nebula is found to have 5-10 M\sb⨀ of ionized mass. An extrapolation of (O III) $\lambda$5007 fluxes to IR emission line intensities led to revised values of neutral mass $\sim40M\sb\bigodot$ for the nebula. Of this 3-6 M\sb⨀ is found to be enriched mass, 0.5 M\sb⨀ contributed by stellar wind mass loss and wind swept ISM mass is determined to be $\sim20−60M\sb\bigodot.PhotoionizationmodelsdemonstratethattheshellisenrichedinNandHeanddepletedinOcomparedtoGalacticHIIregions.Theseresultscollectivelyindicateascenariothatisacombinationofseveralphysicalprocesses.Aslowwindejectedinanasymmetricfashionfromthestarissweptupbyafaststellarwindtogetherwiththeambientmedium,creatingtheionizedshell.ThisinteractionalsocreatesRayleighTaylorinstabilitieswhicharedeterminedtobeplausibleformationmechanismsfortheobservedknots.Thehotgas(\sim$ 10\sp7\sp∘K) penetrates the nebular material in the NW and SE as there is less ejecta pressure opposing it along the polar axis, and creates the observed (O III) bubbles in the NW and lattice in the SE.

Description
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Type
Thesis
Keywords
Astronomy, Astrophysics
Citation

Mitra, Patralekha. "An analysis of the WN shell nebula NGC 6888 using CCD imagery and spectrophotometry." (1991) Diss., Rice University. https://hdl.handle.net/1911/16464.

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