Some proto-planetary nebulae (PPNe) exhibit an enigmatic feature in their infrared (IR) spectra at ~21 μm. PPNe which display this feature are all C-rich and all show evidence for s-process enhancements in their photospheres, indicative of efficient dredge-up during the ascent of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). Furthermore, this 21 μm feature is not seen in the spectra of either the precursors to PPNe, the AGB stars, or the successors of PPNe, planetary nebulae (PNe). However the 21 μm feature has been seen in the spectra of PNe with Wolf-Rayet central stars. Therefore the carrier of this feature is unlikely to be a transient species that only exists in the PPNe phase. It is more likely that the physical conditions in the AGB stars and PNe conspire against the observation of an IR feature at 21 μm. This feature has been attributed to various molecular and solid state species, none of which satisfy all constraints, although TiC and PAHs have seemed the most viable.

We have presented new observations of the ionized gas, molecular gas and cool dust in the Helix nebula (NGC 7293). The ionized gas is observed in the form of a Hα image, which is constructed using images from the Southern H-Alpha Sky Survey Atlas (SHASSA). The molecular emission was mapped using the H2v = 1 → 0 s(1) line at 2.122μm. The far-infrared (FIR) observations were obtained using ISOPHOT on the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO).

We present an indirect method to probe the dust distribution in PNe. Using the free-free continuum flux density and Hβ recombination line flux relationship and the Case B Hα/Hβ line ratio, we determined the expected Hα flux from the radio continuum maps. The dust optical depth distribution of each planetary nebula was then derived from the expected to observed Hα flux ratio. With HST WFPC2 and VLA A-array observations, dust optical depth maps with resolution as high as ~ 0.1″ can be obtained.

Extinction toward NGC 7027 has been extensively studied. Seaton (1979) found the extinction across the nebula is variable and presented a two-component model to explain the radio and infrared observations. Middlemass (1990) presented a wedge-shaped extinction model, assuming the extinction increases linearly across the surface of the nebula. Walton et al. (1988) obtained an extinction map and found a mean extinction of EB-V = 1.02, and a lower extinction of EB-V = 0.8 towards the central star (CS). Based on high-resolution imaging, Robberto et al. (1993) and Wolff et al. (2000) obtained higher extinction of EB-V = 1.07 and 1.10 towards the CS, respectively.

There is a wealth of evidence for the presence of dust in PN from continuum and line emission in the IR, spatially varying extinction and ERE emission in the optical and strength of resonance lines in the UV. The dust emits strongly in the IR but in the UV-optical absorbs and scatters the radiation from the central star and the gaseous emission envelope. Linear polarization of PN light is thus an expected consequence of the presence of dust both within and outside the ionized region. Intrinsic scattering haloes of PN can be confused with local (telescope + atmospheric) scattering; polarimetry however allows the morphology of a dusty halo to be studied. Spectropolarimetry of emission line profiles allows the kinematics of the dust relative to the gaseous emission to be uniquely studied. Polarization contributes to understanding the scattering properties of the grains in PN and how they relate to those of the general ISM to which they will subsequently contribute.

A hot central star illuminating the surrounding ionized H II region usually produces very rich atomic spectra resulting from basic atomic processes: photoionization, electron-ion recombination, bound-bound radiative transitions, and collisional excitation of ions. Precise diagnostics of nebular spectra depend on accurate atomic parameters for these processes. Latest developments in theoretical computations are described, especially under two international collaborations known as the Opacity Project (OP) and the Iron Project (IP), that have yielded accurate and large-scale data for photoionization cross sections, transition probabilities, and collision strengths for electron impact excitation of most astrophysically abundant ions. As an extension of the two projects, a self-consistent and unified theoretical treatment of photoionization and electron-ion recombination has been developed where both the radiative and the dielectronic recombination processes are considered in an unified manner. Results from the Ohio State atomic-astrophysics group, and from the OP and IP collaborations, are presented. A description of the electronic web-interactive database, TIPTOPBASE, with the OP and the IP data, and a compilation of recommended data for effective collision strengths, is given.

The Iron Project (IP) is an extension of the Opacity Project, an international collaboration of atomic physicists and astrophysicists. The aim of the IP is the development and application of new methods in theoretical atomic physics to the calculation of large-scale atomic data of high accuracy for radiative and collisional processes for astrophysically important elements.

NGC 7027 is justifiably THE template spectrum for PNe. Its vast range of emission species – from molecular and neutral to ions with ionization potential > 120eV – its high surface brightness and accessibiliy for northern observatories make it the PN laboratory of choice. However the quality of the spectra from the UV to the IR is mixed, many line fluxes and identifications still remaining unchecked from photographic or image tube spectra. Very deep spectra of NGC 7027 (emission line strengths <10-4 of Hβ) in the 0.65 to 1.05μm region (Baluteau et al. 1995) showed the presence of many faint emission lines. Pequignot & Baluteau (1994) showed that heavy elements from the 4th, 5th and 6th rows of the Periodic Table have much higher abundances than Solar, confirming the synthesis of neutron capture elements in low mass stars and providing new constraints on stellar evolution theory.

There are two long-standing problems in nebular astrophysics: a) The dichotomy of abundance determinations whereby heavy element abundances relative to hydrogen from collisionally excited lines (CELs) are systematically lower than those from (much fainter) optical recombination lines (ORLs), a discrepancy that can be traced back to Wyse (1942) and Aller & Menzel (1945) who pioneered the ORL method; and b) The dichotomy of temperature determinations whereby Te derived from the collisionally excited [O III] forbidden line ratio is systematically higher than that derived from Balmer jump of the H I recombination spectrum, a discrepancy first discovered by Peimbert (1971) and attributed to temperature fluctuations in the nebula (Peimbert 1967). Thanks to the rapid progress in detector technology and recombination theory for multi-electron systems, significant progress has been made in recent years in our understanding of these two fundamental problems, which could potentially affect the derivation of abundances for a wide range of photoionized nebulae, both galactic and extragalactic. Both types of dichotomy are found to be real and are most likely caused by astrophysical effects rather than uncertainties in observations or in the basic atomic physics. The two problems are shown to be related and can be explained by assuming that PNe contain a small mass of extremely cold (Te ~ 103 K) inclusions, highly enriched in helium and heavy elements, embedded in diffuse material of “normal” abundances (~ solar) and temperature (Te ~ 104 K). The existence and nature of such H-deficient inclusions in PNe remains a mystery. A recent review on this subject is given by Liu (2002).

A new class of planetary nebulae, in which abundances derived from optical recombination lines (ORL) seem to be much larger than those derived from collisionally excited lines (CEL) by up to one or two orders of magnitude is now well identified (Liu, these proceedings and references therein).

Photoionization models including two components, one highly enriched in C, N, O, Ne and deficient in H and the other one of more usual composition, can account for most of the numerous spectroscopic data available from UV to far-IR in two of the best observed, most extreme examples, namely NGC 6153 and M142 (Péquignot et aI., 2002, and in preparation). The few discrepancies left can generally be understood in terms of inaccuracy of the observations (calibration of infrared line fluxes relative to the optical) and some atomic data, particularly in the unusual conditions prevailing in the H-deficient component.

The relative role of the stellar radiation field, the stellar outflows and the interstellar radiation field (ISRF) in transforming the molecular ejecta into atomic gas was the subject of our ISO LWS and SWS spectroscopy study of 24 evolved stars which span the range from AGB stars to proto-planetary nebulae (PPNs) and PNs. The far-infrared (FIR) atomic fine-structure lines are powerful probes of the warm atomic gas in photodissociation regions (PDRs) and shocks. This paper summarizes and compares the ISO spectroscopy studies of carbon-rich (C-rich) and oxygen-rich (O-rich) evolved stars, published by Fong et al. (2001) and Castro-Carrizo et al. (2001), respectively. We find that photodissociation, not shocks, is responsible for the chemical change from molecular to atomic gas.

The far infrared nebular spectrum provides a valuable complement to the observed lines in other spectral regions. There are several reasons for this, the most important being the large increase in the number of ions observed, and the fact that the abundances found from these lines are relatively insensitive to the electron temperature. This leads to a more accurate determination of the abundances. To date, twelve PN have had abundances determined in this way. These results are summarized. The evolution of the central star is discussed in the light of these results.

We obtained new HST/STIS long-slit spectra and WFPC2 imagery of the planetary nebula NGC 7009 in order to obtain high spatial resolution of the intrinsic flux ratio [O III] 4364/5008, which is a well-known diagnostic for electron temperature (Te). Our primary purpose was to quantify Te variations across the nebula. We address whether the observational data support the possibility that the [fractional] mean-square Te variation (t2) (Peimbert 1967) in NGC 7009 may be as large as ~0.1. Such large values are required to reconcile the “abundance dichotomy” by Te variations alone. The abundance dichotomy (discussed by Liu at greater length elsewhere in this volume) refers to the significantly higher heavy element abundances derived from optical recombination lines (e.g., a factor of ~5 for NGC 7009, Liu et al. 1995) compared with the corresponding values deduced from collisionally-excited lines.

It is argued that an important fraction of PNe present large temperature variations that are not due to observational errors nor to incomplete atomic physics. Seven possible causes for these variations are reviewed, one of them is presented for the first time.

We recently reported the first detection of the deuterium Balmer series in emission in H II regions, performed at the CFHT (Hébrard et al. 2000a) and at the VLT (Hébrard et al. 2000b). These narrow lines are excited by UV continuum fuorescence and arise at the atomic interface between H II regions and molecular clouds.

Following this discovery, we used the CFHT with the Gecko spectrograph to observe Balmer lines in planetary nebulae. The non-detection of the deuterium Balmer lines in planetary nebulae represents the first observational evidence that this isotope was, as expected, destroyed in the parent stars.

We report first results from our extensive study of S, Cl and Ar abundances in a large sample (>60) of primarily Type II planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Galaxy (see Kwitter & Henry 2001, ApJ, 562, 804). Ratios of S/O, Cl/O, and Ar/O constitute important tests of differential nucleosynthesis of these elements and serve as strict constraints on massive star yield predictions. The use of PNe to measure the original stellar abundances of S, Cl, and Ar is possible because PN progenitors, intermediate-mass stars between 1 and 8M⊙, lack sufficient mass to synthesize these elements. Therefore, their abundances measured in the nebulae at present reflect accurately the original stellar abundances.

Here we present results from new ground-based optical spectra of planetary nebulae extending from 3600–9600Å. The observed spectral range includes the strong near-infrared lines of [S III] λλ9069,9532, which allowed us to extensively test their effectiveness as an indicator of S++. We find that the S++ abundances derived from these lines are quite consistent with those derived from the λ6312 line when the latter is well measured. In addition, we find that the atmospheric absorption affecting the near-infrared lines can be minimized by using in the calculation whichever of the pair is less affected: if the observed ratio of λ9532/λ9069 exceeds 2.48, the theoretical value, we use λ9532; if we observe a ratio <2.48, we use λ9069 instead. We also introduce a new, model-tested ionization correction factor for sulfur that includes the latest atomic data and the effects of matter-boundedness.

For the northern subsample we find the following averages: S/O=1.2E-2±0.71E-2, Cl/O=3.3E-4±1.6E-4, Ar/O=5.0E-3±1.9E-3.

Subsequent papers in this series will present the full analysis and compare our derived abundances of S, Cl, and Ar with nucleosynthesis predictions from massive stars. (A companion paper in this volume by Milingo, Henry & Kwitter discusses the southern subset observed at CTIO; see also Milingo, J.B., Kwitter, K.B., Henry, R.B.C., & Cohen, R.E. 2002, ApJS, in press; Milingo, J.B., Henry, R.B.C., & Kwitter, K.B. 2002, ApJS, 2002, in press.)

We have obtained optical recombination-line abundances for the third-row element magnesium in ten planetary nebulae. The nebulae in our sample include four (NGC 7009, NGC 6153, M 2–36 and M 1–42) for which we have previously found very large enhancements, relative to solar, in the recombination line abundances of the second-row elements carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and neon (Liu et al. 1995, Liu et al. 2000, Liu et al. 2001). Nebular temperature fluctuations appear unable to account for these effects. However, models that invoke high-density clumps, particularly clumps which are hydrogen-deficient, appear more viable as an explanation for the high recombination line abundances that are observed (see Liu et al. 2000 for more details). While it may be possible to appeal to astrophysical nucleosynthetic processes to enhance the CNONe second-row elements in AGB stars, such effects are not expected to modify the abundances of third-row elements such as magnesium. We have therefore measured and dereddened the intensities of the 4481 Å 4f-3d line of Mg II, relative to Hβ, in order to investigate whether magnesium recombination line abundances are enhanced or not.

We present S/O, Cl/O, and Ar/O abundance ratios for 45 predominantly Type II southern PNe. These abundances are based upon line strengths from newly acquired spectrophotometry covering an extended optical range from 3600 - 9600 Å. The following average abundance ratios were obtained from this sample: S/O=0.011±0.0064, Cl/O=0.00031±0.00012, and Ar/O=0.0051±0.0020. This study, together with a sample of northern PNe, is aimed at producing a large homogeneous set of observations and abundances. Specifically, we are addressing the lack of homogeneously observed, reduced, and analyzed data sets that include the NIR [S III] lines at 9069 and 9532 Å. The data provided by these PNe samples enables us to look for consistency between S+2 abundances inferred from these lines and from the more accessible, albeit weaker, [S III] line at 6312 Å. We find reasonable agreement between S+2 determined from the NIR lines and the λ6312 line. This speaks positively for the use and reliability of the NIR lines, despite clearly recognized telluric effects in that portion of the spectrum. The consistent ionic abundance results breathe new life into our treatment of the telluric problem and the use of these strong lines for extrapolating total sulfur abundance. Type II PNe reside close to the Galactic disk and provide S, Cl, Ar, and O abundances free from nucleosynthetic self-contamination. These two qualities allow us to study massive star yields and map the distribution of these elements in radial abundance gradients. Finally, we compare our observed abundance trends with model predictions that are based on several sets of published stellar yields. (A companion paper in this volume by Kwitter & Henry discusses the northern subset observed at KPNO; see also Milingo et al. IIA, 2002, ApJS, 138, 279 and Milingo et al. IIB, 2002, ApJS, 138, 285)

Accurate chemical abundances for the following planetary nebulae (PNe); NGC 6537, He 2-111, NGC 6302, NGC 6445, NGC 6741, NGC 7027, NGC 7662, NGC 2440 and NGC 5315 have been derived using data from the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) and the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE). Optical data from the literature has also been used. These work has been published by Pottasch et al. (2001), Bernard Salas et al. (2001 and 2002). In particular, the use of the ISO data has reduced the need for ionization correction factors. Furthermore, infrared data avoid or reduce many problems when deriving these abundances, namely: temperature fluctuations in the nebula, and extinction corrections. The electron temperature (Te) and density of the PNe has been derived. For those PNe in which the Te has been derived for several ions a trend with the ionization potential is present. Ions with high stages of ionization give higher Te, probably because they are formed close to the central star. The chemical abundances measured in these PNe give some hint of the nucleosynthesis and mixing processes experienced by their progenitor stars. In this view, a preliminary comparison with synthetic TP-AGB models is made (Bernard Salas et al. (in prep.)). NGC 7027, NGC 6741, NGC 2440, and NGC 6445 are consistent with the occurrence of the 3rd dredge-up due to both C12 and He4 enrichment. NGC 6537, NGC 6302, and He 2-111 are likely to have stellar progenitors experiencing hot bottom burning due to the low C12 and high N14 abundances.

Mz 3 is a young bipolar planetary nebula (PN) with lobes extending over ~ 50 arcsec on the sky. It consists of a bright core, two approximately spherical bipolar lobes and two outer large filamentary bipolar nebulae. The salient features of Mz 3 are more easily studied than other bipolar nebula because of its large angular extent. It is very bright in the far-infrared. There is an extended shell of warm dust surrounding the central star. And the bipolar lobes are filled with hot ionized gas. Cohen et al. (1978) found that Mz 3 is He-rich. Based on the LWS observations of the far-IR fine-structure lines, Liu et al. (2001) derived a high N/O ratio in Mz 3 and identified the bipolar nebula as a Type-I PN.