We discovered more than 400 compact shells in the MIPSGAL 24 microns survey of the Galactic plane. About 15% of all these objects were already known as planetary nebulae, supernova remnants, Wolf-Rayet stars, and luminous blue variables. The unknown bubbles are expected to be envelopes of evolved stars that could account for the missing massive stars in the Galaxy. Indeed, recent spectroscopic follow-ups in the near-IR and mid-IR have revealed several dust-free planetary nebulae with very hot central white dwarf and significantly increased the number of WR and LBV candidates. Our OT1 Priority 1 proposal just provided us with a first observation in the PACS-SED B2A mode of one object, revealing only a strong N II 122 microns line. Without further spectral information, identification and modeling of the target are impossible. However, analysis of the PACS and SPIRE data from the HiGal survey has recently enabled us to measure much higher detection rates of the shells in the far-IR than with MIPS 70 microns. We are thus very confident that dust features and/or gas lines can be detected with the PACS and SPIRE spectrometers. Therefore, we request complementary PACS-SED B2B and SPIRE-FTS observations on our OT1 sample.The complete far-IR/submm spectrum of each target will allow its unequivocal identification thanks to comparison with spectra of known evolved stars from the MESS key program. We will also model with much detail the different phases of the envelopes, thanks to our expertise in circumstellar envelopes, dust models and photoionization codes.
Publication
The Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer Spectral Feature Finder - II. Estimating radial velocity of SPIRE spectral observation sources | Scott Jeremy P. et al. | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | null | null | 2020MNRAS.496.4894S |
The Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer Spectral Feature Finder - III. Line identification and off-axis spectra | Benson Chris S. et al. | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | null | null | 2020MNRAS.496.4906B |
The Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer Spectral Feature Finder I. The Spectral Feature Finder and Catalogue | Hopwood R. et al. | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | null | null | 2020MNRAS.496.4874H |
Instrument
SPIRE_SpireSpectrometer_
Temporal Coverage
2012-10-27T08:33:38Z/2013-03-23T17:36:11Z
Version
SPG v14.1.0
Mission Description
Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009! It is the fourth cornerstone mission in the ESA science programme. With a 3.5 m Cassegrain telescope it is the largest space telescope ever launched. It is performing photometry and spectroscopy in approximately the 55-671 µm range, bridging the gap between earlier infrared space missions and groundbased facilities.
European Space Agency, flagey et al., 2013, 'Capturing missing evolved stars in the Galactic plane', SPG v14.1.0, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-vvptags
