Extragalactic Planetary Nebulae

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AST-0307489MendezPlanetary nebulae (PN) are easy to detect and measure in early type galaxies, and make valuable test particles for studying the angular momentum and dark matter content and distribution in these types of galaxies, an otherwise notoriously difficult problem. This research uses a recently developed and very efficient observational technique for PN radial velocity measurements, combining narrow band imaging with slit-less spectroscopy. Now that this technique has been successfully demonstrated, the researcher will investigate a much larger sample of galaxies, studying rotation and dark matter, improving the distance determinations, and exploring the possibility of abundance studies. He will also add the capability to, and test its efficacy on, a wider range of telescopes than before.This study will introduce a new technique and train students in its use, and produce an enormous amount of PN kinematic information for many early type galaxies, both isolated and in nearby galaxy clusters, which will impact basic problems in modern astrophysics. The results are likely to become a new standard of reference for this kind of astrophysical research.