Tracing the Galactic disk with planetary nebulae using Gaia DR3

Abstract

Aims. We study the population of Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe) and their central stars (CSPNe) through the analysis of their distances and Galactic distribution. The PN distances are obtained by means of a revised statistical distance scale, based on an astrometrically-defined sample of their central stars from the third Gaia Data Release (DR3) as calibrators. The new statistical distances, together with the proper motion of the CSPNe (also from DR3) with published PN abundances as well as radial velocities, are used to characterize the PN populations in the Galaxy and to derive the radial metallicity gradient. Methods. The statistical scale was applied to infer the distances of a significant number (∼850) of Galactic PNe, for which we deliver a new catalog of PN distances. By adopting a circular velocity curve of the Galaxy, we also obtained peculiar 3D velocities for a large sample of PNe (∼300). The elemental abundances of the PNe were culled from the literature for an updated catalog, to be used in our analysis and other external applications. Results. The radial chemical gradient of the Galactic disk is traced by PNe with available chemical abundances and distances, and kinematic data of the CSPNe are employed to identify the halo PN population. We date PN progenitors based both on abundances and kinematic properties, finding a confirmation of the first method with the second. For all PNe with at least one oxygen determination in the literature, we find a slope of the radial oxygen gradient equal to Δ log(O/H)/ΔRG = −0.0144 ± 0.00385 [dex kpc−1]. Furthermore, we estimate radial oxygen gradients for the PNe with old (> 7.5 Gyr) and young (< 1 Gyr) progenitors to be Δ log(O/H)/ΔRG = −0.0121 ± 0.00465 and −0.022 ± 0.00758 [dex kpc−1], respectively, thus disclosing a mild steepening of the gradient since Galaxy formation, with a slope change of 0.01 dex. The time evolution is slightly higher (∼0.015 dex) when we select the best available abundances in the literature. This result broadly agrees with previous PN results, but is now based on Gaia DR3 analysis, and it also agrees with what has been traced by most other Galactic probes. We also find a moderate oxygen enrichment when comparing the PNe with young and old progenitors.