The Effect of Superpositions on the Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function
Planetary nebula (PN) surveys in systems beyond ∼10 Mpc often find high-excitation, point-like sources with [O iii ] λ 5007 fluxes greater than the apparent bright-end cutoff of the planetary nebula luminosity function (PNLF). Here we identify PN superpositions as one likely cause for the phenomenon...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acc9bd |
| _version_ | 1797700030789844992 |
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| author | Owen Chase Robin Ciardullo Martin M. Roth George H. Jacoby |
| author_facet | Owen Chase Robin Ciardullo Martin M. Roth George H. Jacoby |
| author_sort | Owen Chase |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Planetary nebula (PN) surveys in systems beyond ∼10 Mpc often find high-excitation, point-like sources with [O iii ] λ 5007 fluxes greater than the apparent bright-end cutoff of the planetary nebula luminosity function (PNLF). Here we identify PN superpositions as one likely cause for the phenomenon and describe the proper procedures for deriving PNLF distances when object blends are a possibility. We apply our technique to two objects: a model Virgo-distance elliptical galaxy observed through a narrowband interference filter, and the Fornax lenticular galaxy NGC 1380 surveyed with the MUSE integral-field unit spectrograph. Our analyses show that even when the most likely distance to a galaxy is unaffected by the possible presence of PN superpositions, the resultant value will still be biased toward too small a distance due to the asymmetrical nature of the error bars. We discuss the future of the PNLF in an era where current ground-based instrumentation can push the technique to distances beyond ∼35 Mpc. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T04:16:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-99d307d995f84d83bb36f1afedee3ba2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T04:16:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-99d307d995f84d83bb36f1afedee3ba22023-09-03T10:36:21ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572023-01-0195015910.3847/1538-4357/acc9bdThe Effect of Superpositions on the Planetary Nebula Luminosity FunctionOwen Chase0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0304-5701Robin Ciardullo1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1328-0211Martin M. Roth2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2451-739XGeorge H. Jacoby3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7970-0277Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University , University Park, PA 16802, USA ; rbc@astro.psu.eduDepartment of Astronomy & Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University , University Park, PA 16802, USA ; rbc@astro.psu.edu; Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, The Pennsylvania State University , University Park, PA 16802, USALeibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) , An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam, GermanyNSF’s NOIRLab , 950 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719, USAPlanetary nebula (PN) surveys in systems beyond ∼10 Mpc often find high-excitation, point-like sources with [O iii ] λ 5007 fluxes greater than the apparent bright-end cutoff of the planetary nebula luminosity function (PNLF). Here we identify PN superpositions as one likely cause for the phenomenon and describe the proper procedures for deriving PNLF distances when object blends are a possibility. We apply our technique to two objects: a model Virgo-distance elliptical galaxy observed through a narrowband interference filter, and the Fornax lenticular galaxy NGC 1380 surveyed with the MUSE integral-field unit spectrograph. Our analyses show that even when the most likely distance to a galaxy is unaffected by the possible presence of PN superpositions, the resultant value will still be biased toward too small a distance due to the asymmetrical nature of the error bars. We discuss the future of the PNLF in an era where current ground-based instrumentation can push the technique to distances beyond ∼35 Mpc.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acc9bdGalaxy distancesPlanetary nebulaeAstrostatistics techniques |
| spellingShingle | Owen Chase Robin Ciardullo Martin M. Roth George H. Jacoby The Effect of Superpositions on the Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function The Astrophysical Journal Galaxy distances Planetary nebulae Astrostatistics techniques |
| title | The Effect of Superpositions on the Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function |
| title_full | The Effect of Superpositions on the Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Superpositions on the Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Superpositions on the Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function |
| title_short | The Effect of Superpositions on the Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function |
| title_sort | effect of superpositions on the planetary nebula luminosity function |
| topic | Galaxy distances Planetary nebulae Astrostatistics techniques |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acc9bd |
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