The Planetary Nebulae Luminosity Function (PNLF): current perspectives
Roberto H. Mendez
TL;DR
This paper reviews the history and current perspectives of the Planetary Nebulae Luminosity Function as a distance indicator, compares it with other methods, and discusses recent progress in modeling stellar populations.
Contribution
It introduces a Monte Carlo simulation approach for PNLFs and addresses recent advances in understanding stellar evolution in old populations.
Findings
PNLF distances are consistent with SBF and TRGB distances.
Monte Carlo simulations effectively reproduce observed PNLFs.
Progress has been made in modeling the maximum final mass in old stellar populations.
Abstract
This paper starts with a brief historical review about the PNLF and its use as a distance indicator. Then the PNLF distances are compared with Surface Brightness Fluctuations (SBF) distances and Tip of the Red Giant Branch (TRGB) distances. A Monte Carlo method to generate simulated PNLFs is described, leading to the last subject: recent progress in reproducing the expected maximum final mass in old stellar populations, a stellar astrophysics enigma that has been challenging us for quite some time.
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