	      NEBULAR Package V3.9 Update Kit
		    (30 Aug. 2008)


This patch introduces support for new ions, and updates the help file 
in the analysis.nebular package of STSDAS V3.9 (scheduled for late 
2008). Versions of nebular in later releases of STSDAS do not require 
the application of this patch. The details of the update is described 
below. 

To install this patch, move the patch tar file to the nebular$ 
directory (i.e., the top level directory of the nebular package), 
and untar the patch file, e.g.: 

	% tar xvpf nebularUpdate_39.tar 


------------ Atomic Data Update Aug. 2008 ------------

Support for two new ions, Ne^+ and Ar^+, have been introduced with 
this version of nebular. References to the literature source of 
the atomic data may be found in the at_data help file, and in the 
headers of the atomic data files, located in the atomic_data/ 
subdirectory. Adopting these sources follows the recommendation of 
Badnell, et al. 2007, Proc. Asymmetrical Planetary Nebulae IV, ed. 
R. Corradi, A. Manchado, N. Soker (in press).  

These new ions have p5 ground-state electron configurations, which 
is to say that they are 2-level atoms from the point of view of 
relevant collisionally excited lines. However, these lines are 
commonly observed in infrared spectra of moderate resolution, and 
abundances derived from them are quite insensitive to the adopted 
electron temperature. 