scholarly journals New atomic data for trans-iron elements and their application to abundance determinations in planetary nebulae1This review is part of a Special Issue on the 10th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas.

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.C. Sterling ◽  
M.C. Witthoeft ◽  
D.A. Esteves ◽  
R.C. Bilodeau ◽  
A.L.D. Kilcoyne ◽  
...  

Investigations of neutron(n)-capture element nucleosynthesis and chemical evolution have largely been based on stellar spectroscopy. However, the recent detection of these elements in several planetary nebulae (PNe) indicates that nebular spectroscopy is a promising new tool for such studies. In PNe, n-capture element abundance determinations reveal details of s-process nucleosynthesis and convective mixing in evolved low-mass stars, as well as the chemical evolution of elements that cannot be detected in stellar spectra. Only one or two ions of a given trans-iron element can typically be detected in individual nebulae. Elemental abundance determinations thus require corrections for the abundances of unobserved ions. Such corrections rely on the availability of atomic data for processes that control the ionization equilibrium of nebulae (e.g., photoionization cross sections and rate coefficients for various recombination processes). Until recently, these data were unknown for virtually all n-capture element ions. For the first six ions of Se, Kr, and Xe — the three most widely detected n-capture elements in PNe — we are calculating photoionization cross sections and radiative and dielectronic recombination rate coefficients using the multi-configuration Breit–Pauli atomic structure code AUTOSTRUCTURE. Charge transfer rate coefficients are being determined with a multichannel Landau–Zener code. To calibrate these calculations, we have measured absolute photoionization cross sections of Se and Xe ions at the Advanced Light Source synchrotron radiation facility. These atomic data can be incorporated into photoionization codes, which we will use to derive ionization corrections (hence abundances) for Se, Kr, and Xe in ionized nebulae. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we will investigate the effects of atomic data uncertainties on the derived abundances, illuminating the systems and atomic processes that require further analysis. These results are critical for honing nebular spectroscopy into a more effective tool for investigating the production and chemical evolution of trans-iron elements in the Universe.

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 668-671
Author(s):  
Sultana N. Nahar

AbstractLarge amount of new radiative atomic data for I) energy levels, II) oscillator strengths (f), line strengths (S), radiative transition probabilities (A), III) photoioniztion cross sections (σPI) – total and level-specific, and IV) unified total and level-specific electron-ion recombination rate coefficients, αR, including radiative and dielectronic recombination (RR and DR) are reported for various astrophysical applications. Most of the data are with fine structure. These data are not yet available from any databases. Photoionization and recombination data are self-consistent, using the same wave-function for both processes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn M. Wahlgren

The study of stars and stellar evolution relies heavily on the analysis of stellar spectra. The need for atomic line data from the ultraviolet (UV) to the infrared (IR) regions is greater now than ever. In the past twenty years, the time since the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, great progress has been made in acquiring atomic data for UV transitions. The optical wavelength region, now expanded by progress in detector technology, continues to provide motivation for new atomic data. In addition, investments in new instrumentation for ground-based and space observatories has lead to the availability of high-quality spectra at IR wavelengths, where the need for atomic data is most critical. In this review, examples are provided of the progress made in generating atomic data for stellar studies, with a look to the future for addressing the accuracy and completeness of atomic data for anticipated needs.


2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 581-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
U.I. Safronova ◽  
A.S. Safronova ◽  
P. Beiersdorfer

We present our recent progress on theoretical studies that involve auto-ionizing states of highly charged tungsten ions. Such auto-ionizing states have two channels for decay, which requires that both radiative and auto-ionization atomic data be calculated and combined in a detailed study of the dielectronic recombination (DR). Three atomic codes are used to produce relativistic atomic data (energy levels, radiative transition probabilities, and auto-ionization rates). These are the relativistic many-body perturbation theory (RMBPT) code, the multiconfiguration relativistic Hebrew University Lawrence Livermore atomic code (HULLAC), and the Hartree–Fock relativistic (Cowan) code. Branching ratios relative to the first threshold and intensity factors are calculated for satellite lines, and DR rate coefficients are determined for the excited states. The total DR rate coefficient is derived as a function of electron temperature, and it is shown that the contribution of the highly excited states is very important for the calculation of the total DR rates. Synthetic dielectronic satellite spectra are constructed, and the atomic properties specific to the relevant tungsten ions are highlighted. First, we will consider the results for Na-like tungsten (W63+) and Mg-like tungsten (W62+) using all three codes. Then, we move to even higher ionization states and present the results in Li-like W (W71+). For this we use the RMBPT code as well as the quasi-relativistic many-body perturbation theory (MZ) code. The inclusion of the DR process is essential for correct identification of the lines in impurity spectra and for understanding the main contributions to the total radiation losses.


2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (S283) ◽  
pp. 504-505
Author(s):  
Nicholas C. Sterling ◽  
Michael C. Witthoeft ◽  
David A. Esteves ◽  
Phillip C. Stancil ◽  
A. L. David Kilcoyne ◽  
...  

AbstractNeutron(n)-capture elements (atomic number Z > 30), which can be produced in planetary nebula (PN) progenitor stars via s-process nucleosynthesis, have been detected in nearly 100 PNe. This demonstrates that nebular spectroscopy is a potentially powerful tool for studying the production and chemical evolution of trans-iron elements. However, significant challenges must be addressed before this goal can be achieved. One of the most substantial hurdles is the lack of atomic data for n-capture elements, particularly that needed to solve for their ionization equilibrium (and hence to convert ionic abundances to elemental abundances). To address this need, we have computed photoionization cross sections and radiative and dielectronic recombination rate coefficients for the first six ions of Se and Kr. The calculations were benchmarked against experimental photoionization cross section measurements. In addition, we computed charge transfer (CT) rate coefficients for ions of six n-capture elements. These efforts will enable the accurate determination of nebular Se and Kr abundances, allowing robust investigations of s-process enrichments in PNe.


2019 ◽  
Vol 487 (4) ◽  
pp. 5097-5105 ◽  
Author(s):  
A K Belyaev ◽  
Ya V Voronov ◽  
A Mitrushchenkov ◽  
M Guitou ◽  
N Feautrier

ABSTRACT New accurate theoretical rate coefficients for (de)-excitation and charge transfer in low-energy O + H, O+ + H− and O− + H+ collisions are reported. The calculations of cross-sections and rate coefficients are performed by means of the quantum probability current method, using full configuration interaction ab initio electronic structure calculations that provide a global description of all 43 lowest molecular states from short to asymptotic internuclear distances. Thus, both long- and short-range non-adiabatic regions are taken into account for the first time. All the doublet, quartet and sextet OH molecular states, with excitation energy asymptotes up to 12.07 eV, as well as the two lowest ionic states with the asymptotes O−H+ and O+H− are treated. Calculations are performed for the collision energy range 0.01–100eV and the temperature range 1 000–10 000 K. The mechanisms underlying the processes are analysed: it is shown that the largest rate coefficients, with values exceeding 10−8 cm3 s−1, are due to ionic–covalent interactions present at large internuclear distances, while short-range interactions play an important role for rates with moderate values involved in (de)-excitation processes. As a consequence, a comparison of the present data with previously published results shows that differences of up to several orders of magnitude exist for rate coefficients with moderate values. It is worth pointing out the relatively large rate coefficients for triplet–quintuplet oxygen transitions, as well as for transitions between the O$(\rm 2p^{3}3s\, ^{5}$So) and O$(\rm 2p^{3}3p\, ^{5}$P) levels of the oxygen triplet and H(n = 2) levels. The calculated data are important for modelling stellar spectra, leading to accurate oxygen abundances.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S350) ◽  
pp. 386-387
Author(s):  
M. Laverick ◽  
A. Lobel ◽  
P. Royer ◽  
T. Merle ◽  
C. Martayan ◽  
...  

AbstractThe Belgian Repository of fundamental Atomic data and Stellar Spectra (BRASS) aims to provide one of the largest systematic and homogeneous quality assessment to date of literature atomic data required for stellar spectroscopy. By comparing state-of-the-art synthetic spectrum calculations with extremely high-quality observed benchmark spectra, we have critically evaluated fundamental atomic data, such as line wavelengths and oscillator strengths, for thousands of astrophysically-relevant transitions found in the literature and across several major atomic data repositories. These proceedings provide a short overview of the BRASS project to date, highlighting our recent efforts to investigate and quality-assess the atomic literature data pertaining to over a thousand atomic transitions present in FGK-type stellar spectra. BRASS provides all quality assessed data, theoretical spectra, and observed spectra in a new interactive database under development at brass.sdf.org.


2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sultana N. Nahar

Opacity, which gives the measure of the radiation transport in plasmas, is caused by the repeated absorption and emission of the propagating radiation by the constituent plasma elements. Microscopically, opacity (κ) depends mainly on two radiative processes: (i) photo-excitation (bound-bound transition) and (ii) photo-ionization (bound-free transition) in addition to electron-photon scattering. The monochromatic opacity κ(ν) at photon frequency ν is determined by the atomic parameters, oscillator strengths (f), and photo-ionization cross sections (σPI). However, total monochromatic opacity is obtained from summed contributions of all possible transitions from all ionization stages of all elements in the source. The calculation of accurate parameters for such a large number of transitions has been the main problem for obtaining accurate opacities. The overall mean opacity, such as the Rosseland mean opacity (κR), depends also on the physical conditions, such as temperature, density, elemental abundances, and equation of state. The necessity for high-precision calculations for opacities may be exemplified by the existing problems, such as the determination of solar elemental abundances. With new computational developments under the Iron Project, we are able to calculate more accurate atomic parameters, such as oscillator strengths for large number of transitions using the relativistic Breit–Pauli R-matrix (BPRM) method. We are finding new features in photo-ionization, such as the existence of extensive and dominant resonant structures in the high-energy region not studied before. These new data should provide more accurate opacities in high-temperature plasmas and can be used to investigate the well-known solar abundance problem.


2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. C. Sterling ◽  
H. L. Dinerstein ◽  
S. Hwang ◽  
S. Redfield ◽  
A. Aguilar ◽  
...  

AbstractSpectroscopy of planetary nebulae (PNe) provides the means to investigate s-process enrichments of neutron(n)-capture elements that cannot be detected in Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars. However, accurate abundance determinations of these elements present a challenge. Corrections for unobserved ions can be large and uncertain, since in many PNe only one ion of a given n-capture element has been detected. Furthermore, the atomic data governing the ionization balance of these species are not well-determined, inhibiting the derivation of accurate ionization corrections. We present initial results of a program that addresses these challenges. Deep high-resolution optical spectroscopy of ∼20 PNe has been performed to detect emission lines from trans-iron species including Se, Br, Kr, Rb and Xe. The optical spectral region provides access to multiple ions of these elements, which reduces the magnitude and importance of uncertainties in the ionization corrections. In addition, experimental and theoretical efforts are providing determinations of the photoionization cross sections and recombination rate coefficients of Se, Kr and Xe ions. These new atomic data will make it possible to derive robust ionization corrections for these elements. Together, our observational and atomic data results will enable n-capture element abundances to be determined with unprecedented accuracy in ionized nebulae.


2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Grevesse ◽  
M. Asplund ◽  
A.J. Sauval ◽  
P. Scott

We have very recently re-determined the abundances of nearly all the available chemical elements in the solar photosphere, from lithium to thorium (Asplund et al. Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 47, 481 (2009)). This new complete and homogeneous analysis results from a very careful selection of spectral lines of all the indicators of the abundances present in the solar photospheric spectrum, from a discussion of the atomic and molecular data, and from an analysis of these lines based on a new 3D model of the solar outer layers, taking non-LTE effects into account when possible. We present these new results, compare them with other recent solar data as well as with recent results for the solar neighborhood, and discuss some of their most important implications as well as some of the atomic data we still urgently need.


1972 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 493-527
Author(s):  
D. D. Burgess

AbstractWork under the heading of Laboratory Plasma Spectroscopy may be conveniently separated into three classes depending on the extent to which the interaction of the emitting atoms with their plasma environment is central to the investigation. Zero order, the longest established use of laboratory plasmas in connection with astrophysics, concerns the use of hot plasmas for the excitation, measurement, and identification of the spectra of highly-stripped ions. In such work the properties of the plasma itself are usually of secondary importance. In first-order, plasma spectroscopy is used to determine fundamental atomic data concerned with the interaction of an atom with a single particle, usually either a photon or an electron, i.e.: the determination of oscillator strengths and collision cross-sections. Finally, higher-order processes in which the plasma nature of the surrounding medium is most relevant concern the study of line-shapes, and related topics such as the excitation of satellite spectral features by plasma oscillations. Developments in plasma diagnostic techniques in the last five years have greatly extended the scope of the second and third categories and have yielded much astrophysically important information from laboratory studies. Recent advances in these areas are reviewed.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document