The Evolution of the Planetary Nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds and the Galactic Bulge

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Abstract
From self-consistent photoionisation modelling of 147 Magellanic Cloud PN, we have constructed the H-R Diagram for the central stars, and have derived both the chemical abundances and the nebular parameters. We find that the central stars have core masses generally between 0.55 and 0.7 M⊙, and find strong evidence to support the model that they leave the AGB as helium-burning stars following the final shell flash. Type I PN have more massive cores, up to near the Schwartzschild limit, and show clear evidence for the Third dredge-up episode. From HST images, younger PN are very compact. The expansion velocity of the nebula is closely correlated with the position of the central star on the H-R Diagram.