W. J. Maciel - Abstract #78


METALLICITY DISTRIBUTION OF BULGE PLANETARY NEBULAE AND THE [O/Fe] x [Fe/H] RELATION

W. J. Maciel

Astronomy and Astrophysics 351, L49-L52 (1999)

The O/H metallicity distribution of different samples of planetary nebulae in the bulge of the Milky Way and M31 are compared. O/H abundances are converted into [Fe/H] metallicity by the use of theoretical [O/Fe] x [Fe/H] relationships both for the bulge and the solar neighbourhood. It is found that these relationships imply an offset of [Fe/H] abundances by a factor up to 0.5 dex for bulge nebulae. Systematic errors in the O/H abundances as suggested by some recent recombination line work, ON cycling and statistical uncertainties are unable to explain the observed offset, suggesting that the adopted relationship for the bulge probably overestimates the oxygen enhancement relative to iron.

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