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At least 163 records · Page 9

The O IV and S IV intercombination lines in solar and stellar ultraviolet spectra

New calculations of O IV electron density diagnostic emission-line ratios involving the 1399.8, 1401.2, 1404.8, and 14076.4 A transitions are presented. A comparison of these calculations with observational data from a quiet solar region, a sunspot, and an active region obtained with the High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph (HRTS), two flares observed with the SO82B spectrograph on board Skylab, and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations by the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) of Capella, gives good results using the ratio R(sub 1) = I(1407.4 A)/I(1401.2 A). However, the electron density obtained using the ratio R(sub 2) = I(1407.4 A)/I(1404.8 A) is often an order of magnitude smaller. The O IV 1404.8 A line is blended with the S IV 1404.8 A line, and we investigate whether this ratio may still be used as a density diagnostic if the S IV 1406.1 A line intensity is used to correct for the presence of S IV 1404.8 A, using previous S IV calculations by Dufton et al. We still find systematic differences compared to density determinations from line ratios that do not involve the O IV 1404.8 A line, which we suggest are due to errors in earlier theoretical calculations of the S IV atomic data, and also possibly to previously unconsidered fluorescent pumping of the upper level of the S IV 1404.8 A transition.

Cook, J. W.↗

Panning for Gold: New Emission Lines from UV–VIS Spectroscopy of Au i and Au ii

The recent detection of a neutron star merger by the LIGO collaboration has renewed interest in laboratory studies of r-process elements. Accurate modeling and interpretation of the electromagnetic transients following the mergers requires computationally expensive calculations of both the structure and opacity of all trans-iron elements. To date, the necessary atomic data to benchmark structure codes are incomplete or, in some cases, absent entirely. Within the available laboratory studies, the literature on Au i and Au ii provides incomplete reports of the emission lines and level structures. We present a new study of Au i and Au ii lines and levels by exposing a solid gold target to plasma in the Compact Toroidal Hybrid (CTH) experiment at Auburn University. A wavelength range from 187 to 800 nm was studied. In Au i, 86 lines are observed, 43 of which are unreported in the literature, and the energies of 18 $5{d}^{9}6s6p$ levels and 16 of the 18 known $5{d}^{9}6s6d$ levels are corroborated by a least-squares level energy optimization. In Au ii, 76 emission lines are observed, and 51 of the lines are unreported in the literature. For both Au i and Au ii, the new lines predominantly originate from the most energetic of the known levels, and over half of the new Au ii lines have wavelengths longer than 300 nm. For the estimated electron parameters of CTH plasmas at the gold target (ne ~ 10 12 cm -3 , T e ~ 10 eV), two-electron transitions are similar in intensity to LS-allowed one-electron transitions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Quantitative comparison of opacities calculated using the R -matrix and distorted-wave methods: Fe xvii

ABSTRACT We present here a detailed calculation of opacities for Fe xvii at the physical conditions corresponding to the base of the Solar convection zone. Many ingredients are involved in the calculation of opacities. We review the impact of each ingredient on the final monochromatic and mean opacities (Rosseland and Planck). The necessary atomic data were calculated with the R-matrix and the distorted-wave (DW) methods. We study the effect of broadening, of resolution, of the extent of configuration sets and of configuration interaction to understand the differences between several theoretical predictions as well as the existing large disagreement with measurements. New Dirac R-matrix calculations including all configurations up to the n = 4, 5, and 6 complexes have been performed as well as corresponding Breit–Pauli DW calculations. The DW calculations have been extended to include autoionizing initial levels. A quantitative contrast is made between comparable DW and R-matrix models. We have reached self-convergence with n = 6 R-matrix and DW calculations. Populations in autoionizing initial levels contribute significantly to the opacities and should not be neglected. The R-matrix and DW results are consistent under the similar treatment of resonance broadening. The comparison with the experiment shows a persistent difference in the continuum while the filling of the windows shows some improvement. This study defines our path to the next generation of opacities and opacity tables for stellar modelling.

Delahaye, F.↗

Study of the p-p-K + and p-p-K - dynamics using the femtoscopy technique

The interactions of kaons (K) and antikaons ($\bar{K}$ ) with few nucleons (N) were studied so far using kaonic atom data and measurements of kaon production and interaction yields in nuclei. Some details of the three-body $\bar{K}$NN and NN dynamics are still not well understood, mainly due to the overlap with multi-nucleon interactions in nuclei. An alternative method to probe the dynamics of three-body systems with kaons is to study the final state interaction within triplet of particles emitted in pp collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, which are free from effects due to the presence of bound nucleons. This Letter reports the first femtoscopic study of p–p–K + and p–p–K - correlations measured in high-multiplicity pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV by the ALICE Collaboration. The analysis shows that the measured p–p–K + and p–p–K - correlation functions can be interpreted in terms of pairwise interactions in the triplets, indicating that the dynamics of such systems is dominated by the two-body interactions without significant contributions from three-body effects or bound states.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

ADNDT's enduring distinct role in the scientific publishing ecosystem

September 2024 marks an important anniversary for Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables – the 55th year since the inaugural edition in September 1969 – and prompts noting the enduring distinct service the journal has delivered, and continues to deliver, to the scientific community.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

High-resolution Laboratory Measurements of K-shell X-Ray Line Polarization and Excitation Cross Sections in Helium-like S XV Ions

We report measurements of electron-impact excitation cross sections for the strong K-shell n = 2 → 1 transitions in S xv, using the LLNL EBIT-I electron beam ion trap, two crystal spectrometers, and the EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer. The cross sections are determined by direct normalization to the well-known cross sections of radiative electron capture, measured simultaneously. Using contemporaneous polarization measurements with the two crystal spectrometers, whose dispersion planes are oriented parallel and perpendicular to the electron beam direction, the polarization of the direct excitation line emission is determined, and in turn the isotropic total cross sections are extracted. We further experimentally investigate various line-formation mechanisms, finding that radiative cascades and collisional inner-shell ionization dominate the degree of linear polarization and total line-emission cross sections of the forbidden line, z.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

On a Spectral Method for β -particle Bound Excitation Collisions in Kilonovae

The interaction of β-particles with the weakly ionized plasma background is an important mechanism for powering the kilonova (KN) transient signal from neutron star mergers. For this purpose, we present an implementation of the approximate fast-particle collision kernel, described by Inokuti following the seminal formulation of Bethe, in a spectral solver of the Vlasov–Maxwell–Boltzmann equation. In particular, we expand the fast-particle plane-wave atomic excitation kernel into coefficients of the Hermite basis, and derive the relevant discrete spectral system. In this fast-particle limit, the approach permits the direct use of atomic data, including optical oscillator strengths, normally applied to photon–matter interaction. The resulting spectral matrix is implemented in the MASS-APP spectral solver framework, in a way that avoids full matrix storage per spatial zone. We numerically verify aspects of the matrix construction, and present a proof-of-principle 3D simulation of a 2D axisymmetric KN ejecta snapshot. Our preliminary numerical results indicate that a reasonable choice of Hermite basis parameters for β-particles in the KN is a bulk velocity parameter u = 0, a thermal velocity parameter α = 0.5c, and a 9 × 9 × 9 mode velocity basis set (Hermite orders of 0–8 in each dimension). For interior-ejecta sample zones, we estimate that the ratio of thermalization from large-angle (≳2fdg5) bound excitation scattering to total thermalization is ~0.002–0.003.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Chemical Doppelgangers in GALAH DR3: The Distinguishing Power of Neutron-capture Elements among Milky Way Disk Stars

The observed chemical diversity of Milky Way stars places important constraints on Galactic chemical evolution and the mixing processes that operate within the interstellar medium. Recent works have found that the chemical diversity of disk stars is low. For example, the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) "chemical doppelganger rate," or the rate at which random pairs of field stars appear as chemically similar as stars born together, is high, and the chemical distributions of APOGEE stars in some Galactic populations are well-described by two-dimensional models. However, limited attention has been paid to the heavy elements (Z > 30) in this context. In this work, we probe the potential for neutron-capture elements to enhance the chemical diversity of stars by determining their effect on the chemical doppelganger rate. We measure the doppelganger rate in GALactic Archaeology with HERMES DR3, with abundances rederived using The Cannon, and find that considering the neutron-capture elements decreases the doppelganger rate from ~2.2% to 0.4%, nearly a factor of 6, for stars with –0.1 < [Fe/H] < 0.1. While chemical similarity correlates with similarity in age and dynamics, including neutron-capture elements does not appear to select stars that are more similar in these characteristics. Our results highlight that the neutron-capture elements contain information that is distinct from that of the lighter elements and thus add at least one dimension to Milky Way abundance space. This work illustrates the importance of considering the neutron-capture elements when chemically characterizing stars and motivates ongoing work to improve their atomic data and measurements in spectroscopic surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The R -process Alliance: A Nearly Complete R -process Abundance Template Derived from Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of the R -process-enhanced Metal-poor Star HD 222925 *

We present a nearly complete rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) chemical inventory of the metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -1.46 ± 0.10) r-process-enhanced ([Eu/Fe] = +1.32 ± 0.08) halo star HD 222925. This abundance set is the most complete for any object beyond the solar system, with a total of 63 metals detected and seven with upper limits. It comprises 42 elements from 31 ≤ Z ≤ 90, including elements rarely detected in r-process-enhanced stars, such as Ga, Ge, As, Se, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Te, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Au. We derive these abundances from an analysis of 404 absorption lines in ultraviolet spectra collected using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope and previously analyzed optical spectra. A series of appendices discusses the atomic data and quality of fits for these lines. The r-process elements from Ba to Pb, including all elements at the third r-process peak, exhibit remarkable agreement with the solar r-process residuals, with a standard deviation of the differences of only 0.08 dex (17%). In contrast, deviations among the lighter elements from Ga to Te span nearly 1.4 dex, and they show distinct trends from Ga to Se, Nb through Cd, and In through Te. The r-process contribution to Ga, Ge, and As is small, and Se is the lightest element whose production is dominated by the r-process. The lanthanide fraction, log X La = -1.39 ± 0.09, is typical for r-process-enhanced stars and higher than that of the kilonova from the GW170817 neutron-star merger event. We advocate adopting this pattern as an alternative to the solar r-process-element residuals when confronting future theoretical models of heavy-element nucleosynthesis with observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Temperature dependence of emission measure in solar X-ray plasmas. 1: Non-flaring active regions

X-ray and ultraviolet line emission from hot, optically thin material forming coronal active regions on the sun may be described in terms of an emission measure distribution function, Phi (T). A relationship is developed between line flux and Phi (T), a theory which assumes that the electron density is a single-valued function of temperature. The sources of error involved in deriving Phi (T) from a set of line fluxes are examined in some detail. These include errors in atomic data (collisional excitation rates, assessment of other mechanisms for populating excited states of transitions, element abundances, ion concentrations, oscillator strengths) and errors in observed line fluxes arising from poorly - known instrumental responses. Two previous analyses are discussed in which Phi (T) for a non-flaring active region is derived. A least squares method of Batstone uses X-ray data of low statistical significance, a fact which appears to influence the results considerably. Two methods for finding Phi (T) ab initio are developed. The coefficients are evaluated by least squares. These two methods should have application not only to active-region plasmas, but also to hot, flare-produced plasmas.

Phillips, K. J. H.↗

Stellar model chromospheres. VIII - 70 Ophiuchi A /K0 V/ and Epsilon Eridani /K2 V/

Model atmospheres for the late-type active-chromosphere dwarf stars 70 Oph A and Epsilon Eri are computed from high-resolution Ca II K line profiles as well as Mg II h and k line fluxes. A method is used which determines a plane-parallel homogeneous hydrostatic-equilibrium model of the upper photosphere and chromosphere which differs from theoretical models by lacking the constraint of radiative equilibrium (RE). The determinations of surface gravities, metallicities, and effective temperatures are discussed, and the computational methods, model atoms, atomic data, and observations are described. Temperature distributions for the two stars are plotted and compared with RE models for the adopted effective temperatures and gravities. The previously investigated T min/T eff vs. T eff relation is extended to Epsilon Eri and 70 Oph A, observed and computed Ca II K and Mg II h and k integrated emission fluxes are compared, and full tabulations are given for the proposed models. It is suggested that if less than half the observed Mg II flux for the two stars is lost in noise, the difference between an active-chromosphere star and a quiet-chromosphere star lies in the lower-chromospheric temperature gradient.

Kelch, W. L.↗

Fe XXI as an electron density diagnostic in solar flares

Atomic data have been calculated for Fe XXI, and the theoretical intensity ratios for many transitions are tabulated. Fe XXI lines in wavelength regions 1-25 A, 90-200 A, and 300-2500 A are discussed with reference to presently available solar and laboratory spectra. It is found that Fe XXI is an excellent density diagnostic for solar-flare and tokamak plasmas, when densities are in the range from 10 to the 11th to 10 to the 15th per cu cm. The theoretical calculations are applied to flare spectra obtained from OSO 5, and an electron density of less than 10 to the 13th per cu cm is deduced for a temperature of 10,000,000 K. The results are somewhat ambiguous in several cases because of the limited spectral and temporal resolution of these earlier spectrometers. However, the calculations will be important for forthcoming solar projects, such as the Solar Maximum Mission.

Mason, H. E.↗

Spectroscopy and atomic physics of highly ionized Cr, Fe, and Ni for tokamak plasmas

The paper considers the spectroscopy and atomic physics for some highly ionized Cr, Fe, and Ni ions produced in tokamak plasmas. Forbidden and intersystem wavelengths for Cr and Ni ions are extrapolated and interpolated using the known wavelengths for Fe lines identified in solar-flare plasmas. Tables of transition probabilities for the B I, C I, N I, O I, and F I isoelectronic sequences are presented, and collision strengths and transition probabilities for Cr, Fe, and Ni ions of the Be I sequence are given. Similarities of tokamak and solar spectra are discussed, and it is shown how the atomic data presented may be used to determine ion abundances and electron densities in low-density plasmas.

Feldman, U.↗

Solar Maximum Mission

The paper considers the objectives of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM), and describes its spacecraft, the scientific planning, the observing program, and the guest investigator programs. The SMM observatory will be injected into a circular orbit with an altitude of 574 km and it is designed for a minimum of one year of operational life; its observing program is directed at the physics of solar flares, and includes studies of thermalization, the nature of electron acceleration, the flare energy budget, and the flare decay. Finally, the SMM Guest Investigator program is discussed, including ground-based synoptic and atomic data investigations and SMM data interpretation.

Bohlin, J. D.↗

Forbidden lines of np/q/ ions. I - Detailed balance and line intensity ratios

The detailed balance equations are solved in the ground state terms of 37 ions of C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Si, S and Fe; atomic data for 235 transitions of these ions are tabulated, and 14 line ratios of q = 2,4 ions and eight line ratios of q = 3 ions are graphed. Forbidden emission lines of these ions are in the far and near UV, visible, and near and far IR regions of the spectrum. In addition, detailed calculations of the relative populations of the levels of the ground state are presented as a function of temperature and density.

Kafatos, M.↗

Emissivities of strong ultraviolet lines

Using atomic data published during the last few years for Li to Mg sequence ions, we have carried out multilevel calculations over a range of electron pressures to obtain absolute intensities for spectral lines in the UV and EUV regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Both the pressure dependence of the ionization balance and the dependence of line emissivities on the populations of metastable levels are taken into account. These line emissivities may be used to obtain plane-parallel model atmospheres for different solar transition region structures, and in general for other late-type stars which have observable lines over a wide range of excitation potentials.

Raymond, J. C.↗

The X-ray spectrum of a hot interstellar plasma

The soft X-ray spectrum of a hot, low density, optically thin plasma in collisional ionization equilibrium is calculated using current atomic data. Many Fe collision strengths differ from previous calculations. The spectra from individual elements are presented for use in abundance determinations from X-ray observations. Collision strengths and line energies, sorted both according to energy and according to ion, are tabulated.

Shull, J. M.↗