Hidden clues in planetary nebula populations

Planetary nebulae (PNe) arise from stars towards the end of their lives and emit a remarkably bright [OIII] line that can even be observed in galaxies up to 100 Mpc away. Yet, for almost four decades, researchers have struggled to explain how such bright PNe can exist in old stellar populations. Recent advances in modeling PN populations have finally begun to shed light on this longstanding mystery. Together with recent observations, these models hint that PN populations may contain valuable clues about the stellar populations and star formation histories of their host galaxies.

In this project, you will study how different star formation histories shape the resulting PN populations. Using the state-of-the-art PN model PICS (PNe In Cosmological Simulations), you will explore the link between a galaxy's stellar population and the observable properties of its PNe. Along the way, you will gain experience with computational modeling and develop an understanding of stellar evolution, stellar populations, and galaxy star formation histories. You will also have the opportunity to work with observational data and cosmological simulations to apply and test the predictions.

This project is ideal for students interested in computational astrophysics at the unique intersection of stellar and galactic physics. If this sounds interesting to you or you would like to learn more about the project, please contact Lucas Valenzuela.
 

Image

Left: The Cat's Eye Nebula in our own Milky Way (Credit: ESA, NASA, HEIC and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)). Right: Distribution of modeled planetary nebulae in a simulated galaxy.