Spectroscopy of planetary nebulae in M31

In the outer regions of M31, PNe trace different well-known morphological features like the Northern Spur, the NGC 205 Loop, the G1 Clump, etc. In general, the distribution of PNe in the outer region 8<R<20kpc along the minor axis shows the "extended disk"-a rotationally supported low surface brightness structure with an exponential scale length of 3.21+/-0.14kpc and a total mass of ~10^10^M_{sun}_, which is equivalent to the mass of M33.

We report the discovery of three PN candidates with projected locations in the center of Andromeda NE, a very low surface brightness giant stellar structure in the outer halo of M31. Two of the PNe were spectroscopically confirmed as genuine PNe. These two PNe are located at projected distances along the major axis of ~48Kpc and ~41Kpc from the center of M31 and are the most distant PNe in M31 found up to now.

With the new PN data at hand we see the obvious kinematic connection between the continuation of the Giant Stream and the Northern Spur. We suggest that 20%-30% of the stars in the Northern Spur area may belong to the Giant Stream. In our data we also see a possible kinematic connection between the Giant Stream and PNe in Andromeda NE, suggesting that Andromeda NE could be the core or remnant of the Giant Stream.

Using PN data we estimate the total mass of the Giant Stream progenitor to be {approx}10^9^M_{sun}_. About 90% of its stars appear to have been lost during the interaction with M31.