Estrelas centrais de nebulosas planetárias (ECNPs) têm um intervalo de massa relativamente grande na fase da sequência principal, por isso espera-se que elas também tenham diferentes idades, tipicamente acima de 1 Gano. Além de necessárias para o conhecimento das propriedades das ECNPs, a determinação das idades é também importante no contexto da evolução química da Galáxia, como no estudo da variação temporal dos gradientes radiais de abundâncias químicas. Entretanto, não há um método único e confiável que possa ser aplicado para estimar a idade de todos os tipos de estrelas. Neste projeto, desenvolvemos dois métodos de idades cinemáticas baseados na relação idade-dispersão de velocidade do disco da Galáxia encontrada pelo recente levantamento Geneva-Copenhagen. O primeiro método compara a velocidade de rotação esperada da ECNP com a velocidade predita pela curva de rotação da Galáxia em sua posição, e interpreta a diferença entre elas como a dispersão de velocidade do objeto, relacionada com a idade. O segundo método consiste em calcular as componentes da velocidade espacial, com algumas hipóteses, e estimar diretamente as dispersões das velocidades, inferindo uma idade pela relação adotada. Duas amostras foram escolhidas, contendo 234 e 866 nebulosas planetárias, para as quais velocidades radiais precisas estão disponíveis na literatura. Os resultados sugerem que a maioria das ECNPs no disco Galáctico tem idade abaixo de 5 Gano, e um pico ente 0 e 3 Gano. Esses resultados são comparados com algumas distribuições recentes de idades baseadas em correlações independentes envolvendo as abundâncias químicas das nebulosas planetárias. / Central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPN) have a relatively large mass interval on the main sequence, so that it is expected that these stars also have different ages, typically above 1 Gyr. Apart from the properties of the CSPN themselves, the problem of age determination is also important in the context of the chemical evolution of the Galaxy, as in the understanding of the time variation of chemical abundance gradients. However, there are no unique and reliable methods that can be applied to estimate the age of all types of stars. In this work, we developed two methods of kinematic ages based on the age-velocity dispersion relation of the Galactic disk derived by the recent Geneva-Copenhagen survey. The first method compares the expected rotation velocity of CSPN with the predicted velocity by the Galactic rotation curve at its position, and interprets the difference between them as the velocity dispersion of the star, which is related to the stellar age. The second method consists in calculating the U, V, W velocity components of CSPN, with some hypotheses, and estimating directly the velocity dispersions, so that the age can be derived. Two samples were chosen, containing 234 and 866 nebulae, for which accurate radial velocities are available in the literature. The results suggest the most CSPN in the Galactic disk have ages under 5 Gyr with a distribution peaked between 0 and 3 Gyr. These results are also compared with some recent age distributions based on independent correlations involving the nebular chemical abundances.

Estrelas centrais de nebulosas planetárias (ECNPs) têm um intervalo de massa relativamente grande na fase da sequência principal, por isso espera-se que elas também tenham diferentes idades, tipicamente acima de 1 Gano. Além de necessárias para o conhecimento das propriedades das ECNPs, a determinação das idades é também importante no contexto da evolução química da Galáxia, como no estudo da variação temporal dos gradientes radiais de abundâncias químicas. Entretanto, não há um método único e confiável que possa ser aplicado para estimar a idade de todos os tipos de estrelas. Neste projeto, desenvolvemos dois métodos de idades cinemáticas baseados na relação idade-dispersão de velocidade do disco da Galáxia encontrada pelo recente levantamento Geneva-Copenhagen. O primeiro método compara a velocidade de rotação esperada da ECNP com a velocidade predita pela curva de rotação da Galáxia em sua posição, e interpreta a diferença entre elas como a dispersão de velocidade do objeto, relacionada com a idade. O segundo método consiste em calcular as componentes da velocidade espacial, com algumas hipóteses, e estimar diretamente as dispersões das velocidades, inferindo uma idade pela relação adotada. Duas amostras foram escolhidas, contendo 234 e 866 nebulosas planetárias, para as quais velocidades radiais precisas estão disponíveis na literatura. Os resultados sugerem que a maioria das ECNPs no disco Galáctico tem idade abaixo de 5 Gano, e um pico ente 0 e 3 Gano. Esses resultados são comparados com algumas distribuições recentes de idades baseadas em correlações independentes envolvendo as abundâncias químicas das nebulosas planetárias. / Central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPN) have a relatively large mass interval on the main sequence, so that it is expected that these stars also have different ages, typically above 1 Gyr. Apart from the properties of the CSPN themselves, the problem of age determination is also important in the context of the chemical evolution of the Galaxy, as in the understanding of the time variation of chemical abundance gradients. However, there are no unique and reliable methods that can be applied to estimate the age of all types of stars. In this work, we developed two methods of kinematic ages based on the age-velocity dispersion relation of the Galactic disk derived by the recent Geneva-Copenhagen survey. The first method compares the expected rotation velocity of CSPN with the predicted velocity by the Galactic rotation curve at its position, and interprets the difference between them as the velocity dispersion of the star, which is related to the stellar age. The second method consists in calculating the U, V, W velocity components of CSPN, with some hypotheses, and estimating directly the velocity dispersions, so that the age can be derived. Two samples were chosen, containing 234 and 866 nebulae, for which accurate radial velocities are available in the literature. The results suggest the most CSPN in the Galactic disk have ages under 5 Gyr with a distribution peaked between 0 and 3 Gyr. These results are also compared with some recent age distributions based on independent correlations involving the nebular chemical abundances.

Central stars of planetary nebulae are low-mass stars on the brink of their final evolution towards white dwarfs. Because of their surface temperature of above 25,000 K their UV radiation ionizes the surrounding material, which was ejected in an earlier phase of their evolution. Such fluorescent circumstellar gas is called a "Planetary Nebula". About one-tenth of the Galactic central stars are hydrogen-deficient. Generally, the surface of these central stars is a mixture of helium, carbon, and oxygen resulting from partial helium burning. Moreover, most of them have a strong stellar wind, similar to massive Pop-I Wolf-Rayet stars, and are in analogy classified as [WC]. The brackets distinguish the special type from the massive WC stars. Qualitative spectral analyses of [WC] stars lead to the assumption of an evolutionary sequence from the cooler, so-called late-type [WCL] stars to the very hot, early-type [WCE] stars. Quantitative analyses of the winds of [WC] stars became possible by means of computer programs that solve the radiative transfer in the co-moving frame, together with the statistical equilibrium equations for the population numbers. First analyses employing models without iron-line blanketing resulted in systematically different abundances for [WCL] and [WCE] stars. While the mass ratio of He:C is roughly 40:50 for [WCL] stars, it is 60:30 in average for [WCE] stars. The postulated evolution from [WCL] to [WCE] however could only lead to an increase of carbon, since heavier elements are built up by nuclear fusion. In the present work, improved models are used to re-analyze the [WCE] stars and to confirm their He:C abundance ratio. Refined models, calculated with the Potsdam WR model atmosphere code (PoWR), account now for line-blanketing due to iron group elements, small scale wind inhomogeneities, and complex model atoms for He, C, O, H, P, N, and Ne. Referring to stellar evolutionary models for the hydrogen-deficient [WC] stars, Ne and N abundances are of particular interest. Only one out of three different evolutionary channels, the VLTP scenario, leads to a Ne and N overabundance of a few percent by mass. A VLTP, a very late thermal pulse, is a rapid increase of the energy production of the helium-burning shell, while hydrogen burning has already ceased. Subsequently, the hydrogen envelope is mixed with deeper layers and completely burnt in the presence of C, He, and O. This results in the formation of N and Ne. A sample of eleven [WCE] stars has been analyzed. For three of them, PB 6, NGC 5189, and [S71d]3, a N overabundance of 1.5% has been found, while for three other [WCE] stars such high abundances of N can be excluded. In the case of NGC 5189, strong spectral lines of Ne can be reproduced qualitatively by our models. At present, the Ne mass fraction can only be roughly estimated from the Ne emission lines and seems to be in the order of a few percent by mass. Furthermore, using a diagnostic He-C line pair, the He:C abundance ratio of 60:30 for [WCE] stars is confirmed. Within the framework of the analysis, a new class of hydrogen-deficient central stars has been discovered, with PB 8 as its first member. Its atmospheric mixture resembles rather that of the massive WNL stars than of the [WC] stars. The determined mass fractions H:He:C:N:O are 40:55:1.3:2:1.3. As the wind of PB 8 contains significant amounts of O and C, in contrast to WN stars, a classification as [WN/WC] is suggested. / Zentralsterne Planetarischer Nebel sind massearme Sterne kurz vor ihrer finalen Entwicklung zu Weißen Zwergen. Aufgrund ihrer Oberflächentemperatur von über 25 000 K sind sie in der Lage, durch Abstrahlung von UV-Licht das sie umgebende Material, welches in einer vorigen Phase ihrer Entwicklung abgestoßen wurde, zu ionisieren. Das solchermaßen zum Leuchten angeregte Gas bezeichnet man als Planetarischen Nebel. Etwa ein Zehntel der galaktischen Zentralsterne sind wasserstoffarm. Im Allgemeinen besteht die Oberfläche dieser Zentralsterne aus einer Mischung der Elemente Helium, Kohlenstoff und Sauerstoff, welche z.T. durch Heliumbrennen erzeugt wurden. Die meisten dieser Sterne haben darüberhinaus einen starken Sternwind, ähnlich den massereichen Pop-I-Wolf-Rayet-Sternen und werden in Analogie zu diesen als [WC] klassifiziert, wobei die eckigen Klammern der Unterscheidung von den massereichen WC-Sternen dienen. Qualitative Analysen der Spektren von [WC]-Sternen lassen eine Entwicklungssequenz dieser Sterne von kühleren sogenannten late-type [WC]-Sternen (kurz [WCL]) zu sehr heißen, early-type [WC]-Sternen (kurz [WCE]) vermuten. Mithilfe von Computerprogrammen, die den Strahlungstransport im mitbewegten Beobachtersystem zusammen mit den statistischen Gleichungen der Besetzungszahlen der Ionen im Sternwind rechnen können, wurden quantitative Untersuchungen der Winde von [WC]-Sternen möglich. Erste Analysen mit Modellen ohne Eisenlinien ergaben dabei systematisch unterschiedliche Häufigkeiten für [WCL]- und [WCE]-Sterne. Während sich für [WCL]-Sterne ein Verhältnis der Massenanteile von He:C von etwas 40:50 ergab, fand man für die [WCE]-Sterne ein mittleres Verhältnis von 60:30 für die He:C-Massenanteile. Dabei sollte die Entwicklung von [WCL] nach [WCE] innerhalb einer sehr kurzen Zeit durch Aufheizung infolge der Kontraktion der Hülle erfolgen und nicht mit einer wesentlichen Abnahme der Kohlenstoffhäufigkeit bei gleichzeitiger Zunahme der Heliumhäufigkeit an der Oberfläche einhergehen. Im Rahmen der vorgelegten Arbeit wird untersucht, ob sich mittels verbesserter Modelle für die Atmosphären von [WC]-Sternen das He:C-Häufigkeitsverhältnis der [WCE]-Sterne bestätigt. Elaboriertere Modelle, welche vom Potsdamer WR-Modelatmosphären-Code (PoWR) berechnet werden können, berücksichtigen Line-Blanketing aufgrund von Elementen der Eisengruppe, kleinskalige Windinhomogenitäten und die Elemente He, C, O, H, P, N und Ne. Unter Bezug auf Sternentwicklungsmodelle, die die Ursache der Wasserstoffunterhäufigkeit von [WC]-Sternen erklären, sind insbesondere die Neon- und Stickstoff-Häufigkeiten interessant. Von den drei möglichen Entwicklungskanälen für [WC]-Sterne führt lediglich das VLTP-Szenario zu einer Stickstoff-Überhäufigkeit von einigen Prozent bezogen auf die Masse. Bei einem VLTP, einem very late thermal pulse, handelt es sich um einen plötzlichen, starken Anstieg der Energieproduktion in der helium-brennenden Schale, während das Wasserstoffbrennen bereits zum Erliegen gekommen ist. Infolge eines VLTPs wird sämtlicher Wasserstoff kurz nach dem thermischen Puls in tiefere Schichten gemischt und in Anwesenheit von C, He und O verbrannt. Infolgedessen wird N und auch Ne erzeugt. Bei der Analyse von elf [WCE]-Sternen wurden für drei von ihnen, PB 6, NGC 5189 und [S71d]3, Stickststoffmassenanteile von 1,5 % bestimmt, während für drei andere Sterne solche hohen Stickstoffhäufigkeiten ausgeschlossen werden können. Für NGC 5189 gelang außerdem die qualitative Reproduktion der beobachteten, starken Ne-Spektrallinien mittels unserer Modelle. Zur Zeit lässt sich aus der Stärke der Ne-Emissionslinien der Ne-Massenanteil leider nur abschätzen, er scheint aber im Bereich einiger Prozent zu liegen. Mittels eines diagnostischen He-C-Linienpaares konnte das He:C-Massenverhältnis von 60:30 für [WCE]-Sterne bestätigt werden. Als Ergebnis der Analyse von PB 8 postulieren wir eine neue Klasse von wasserstoffarmen Zentralsternen, die in ihrer Elementzusammensetzung eher an massereiche WNL-Sterne als an [WC]-Sterne erinnern. Die ermittelten Massenanteile H:He:C:N:O betragen 40:55:1.3:2:1.3, der Wind von PB 8 enthält daher im Unterschied zu WN-Sternen signifikante Mengen von O und C. Es wird daher eine Klassifizierung als [WN/WC] vorgeschlagen.