Whither or Wither the Sulfur Anomaly in Planetary Nebulae?
We present a thorough investigation of the long-standing sulfur anomaly enigma. Our analysis uses chemical abundances from the most extensive data set available for 126 planetary nebulae (PNs) with improved accuracy and reduced uncertainties from a 10° × 10° Galactic bulge region. By using argon as...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad1ed9 |
| _version_ | 1797337643339481088 |
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| author | Shuyu Tan Quentin A. Parker |
| author_facet | Shuyu Tan Quentin A. Parker |
| author_sort | Shuyu Tan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present a thorough investigation of the long-standing sulfur anomaly enigma. Our analysis uses chemical abundances from the most extensive data set available for 126 planetary nebulae (PNs) with improved accuracy and reduced uncertainties from a 10° × 10° Galactic bulge region. By using argon as a superior PN metallicity indicator, the anomaly is significantly reduced and better constrained. For the first time in PNs we show sulfur α -element lockstep with both oxygen and argon. We dispel hypotheses that the anomaly originates from underestimation of higher sulfur ionization stages. Using a machine-learning approach, we show that earlier ionization correction factor schemes contributed significantly to the anomaly. We find a correlation between the sulfur anomaly and the age/mass of PN progenitors, with the anomaly either absent or significantly reduced in PNs with young progenitors. Despite inherent challenges and uncertainties, we link this to PN dust chemistry, noting those with carbon-dust chemistry show a more pronounced anomaly. By integrating these findings, we provide a plausible explanation for the residual, reduced sulfur anomaly and propose its potential as an indicator of relative galaxy age compositions based on PNs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:16:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d7dcb3dffaee4fb5a761b8da77f39361 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:16:35Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-d7dcb3dffaee4fb5a761b8da77f393612024-01-31T15:51:38ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052024-01-019612L4710.3847/2041-8213/ad1ed9Whither or Wither the Sulfur Anomaly in Planetary Nebulae?Shuyu Tan0https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7127-2857Quentin A. Parker1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2062-0173The Laboratory for Space Research, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong , Cyberport 4, Hong KongThe Laboratory for Space Research, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong , Cyberport 4, Hong KongWe present a thorough investigation of the long-standing sulfur anomaly enigma. Our analysis uses chemical abundances from the most extensive data set available for 126 planetary nebulae (PNs) with improved accuracy and reduced uncertainties from a 10° × 10° Galactic bulge region. By using argon as a superior PN metallicity indicator, the anomaly is significantly reduced and better constrained. For the first time in PNs we show sulfur α -element lockstep with both oxygen and argon. We dispel hypotheses that the anomaly originates from underestimation of higher sulfur ionization stages. Using a machine-learning approach, we show that earlier ionization correction factor schemes contributed significantly to the anomaly. We find a correlation between the sulfur anomaly and the age/mass of PN progenitors, with the anomaly either absent or significantly reduced in PNs with young progenitors. Despite inherent challenges and uncertainties, we link this to PN dust chemistry, noting those with carbon-dust chemistry show a more pronounced anomaly. By integrating these findings, we provide a plausible explanation for the residual, reduced sulfur anomaly and propose its potential as an indicator of relative galaxy age compositions based on PNs.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad1ed9Planetary nebulae nucleiGalactic abundancesPlanetary nebulae |
| spellingShingle | Shuyu Tan Quentin A. Parker Whither or Wither the Sulfur Anomaly in Planetary Nebulae? The Astrophysical Journal Letters Planetary nebulae nuclei Galactic abundances Planetary nebulae |
| title | Whither or Wither the Sulfur Anomaly in Planetary Nebulae? |
| title_full | Whither or Wither the Sulfur Anomaly in Planetary Nebulae? |
| title_fullStr | Whither or Wither the Sulfur Anomaly in Planetary Nebulae? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Whither or Wither the Sulfur Anomaly in Planetary Nebulae? |
| title_short | Whither or Wither the Sulfur Anomaly in Planetary Nebulae? |
| title_sort | whither or wither the sulfur anomaly in planetary nebulae |
| topic | Planetary nebulae nuclei Galactic abundances Planetary nebulae |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad1ed9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shuyutan whitherorwitherthesulfuranomalyinplanetarynebulae AT quentinaparker whitherorwitherthesulfuranomalyinplanetarynebulae |