Speaker: prof. Achim Weiss

Max Planck Institut for Astrophysics - Monaco di Baviera

"Theoretical understanding of the luminosity 
function of planetary nebulae"

Planetary Nebulae are one end product of the evolution
of intermediate mass stars and the result of the interaction
of the expanding outer stellar shell, the fast post-AGB wind
and the hot radiation field of the post-AGB star. I present
a synthetic model for properties of Planetary Nebulae, which
- though still strongly simplifying these complex objects - 
is the most advanced theoretical approach so far. In particular,
I will discuss its application to the brightness function of
Planetary Nebulae, the so-called PNLF, which has been used in
the past as a distance indicator. Indeed, to some extent our 
model helps to understand the properties of the PNLF, although
severe problems remain.