Poster abstract details
Studies of Planetary Nebulae with SOFIA: Current and Future Prospects
Abstract
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a joint project of NASA and the Deutsches Zentrum f\"{u}r Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), is a 2.5m telescope on board a Boeing 747-SP airplane. SOFIA will operate above 99\% of the water vapour in the Earth's atmosphere, and provide access to a broad wavelength range, including the mid- and far-infrared.
SOFIA is highly relevant for PNe studies. High angular-resolution imaging in broad and narrow mid-infrared bands, spectroscopy yielding measurements of important diagnostic lines (e.g. of multiple ionization stages of O, Ne, S), and high resolution spectroscopy of emission lines such as [CII] 158$\mu$m can be used to study the molecular content, elemental abundances and kinematics of PNe.
I will discuss in detail the relevance of SOFIA to PNe studies. (If available at the time of the meeting, I will present images from some early observations.) I will also give an overview of the observing program and describe how the international astronomy community can propose to use SOFIA.
SOFIA is highly relevant for PNe studies. High angular-resolution imaging in broad and narrow mid-infrared bands, spectroscopy yielding measurements of important diagnostic lines (e.g. of multiple ionization stages of O, Ne, S), and high resolution spectroscopy of emission lines such as [CII] 158$\mu$m can be used to study the molecular content, elemental abundances and kinematics of PNe.
I will discuss in detail the relevance of SOFIA to PNe studies. (If available at the time of the meeting, I will present images from some early observations.) I will also give an overview of the observing program and describe how the international astronomy community can propose to use SOFIA.