Testing atomic collision theory with the two-photon continuum of astrophysical nebulae

F. Guzmán; N. R. Badnell; M. Chatzikos; P. A.M. Van Hoof; R. J.R. Williams; G. J. Ferland

doi:10.1093/mnras/stx269

Testing atomic collision theory with the two-photon continuum of astrophysical nebulae

F. Guzmán, N. R. Badnell, M. Chatzikos, P. A.M. Van Hoof, R. J.R. Williams, G. J. Ferland

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Accurate rates for energy-degenerate l-changing collisions are needed to determine cosmological abundances and recombination. There are now several competing theories for the treatment of this process, and it is not possible to test these experimentally. We show that the H I two-photon continuum produced by astrophysical nebulae is strongly affected by lchanging collisions. We perform an analysis of the different underlying atomic processes and simulate the recombination and two-photon spectrum of a nebula containing H and He. We provide an extended set of effective recombination coefficients and updated l-changing 2s − 2p transition rates using several competing theories. In principle, accurate astronomical observations could determine which theory is correct.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3944-3950
Number of pages	7
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	467
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx269
State	Published - Jun 1 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Authors.

Keywords

Atomic data
Atomic processes
Cosmic background radiation
Cosmology: observations
H II regions
Planetary nebulae: general

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1093/mnras/stx269

Cite this

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title = "Testing atomic collision theory with the two-photon continuum of astrophysical nebulae",

abstract = "Accurate rates for energy-degenerate l-changing collisions are needed to determine cosmological abundances and recombination. There are now several competing theories for the treatment of this process, and it is not possible to test these experimentally. We show that the H I two-photon continuum produced by astrophysical nebulae is strongly affected by lchanging collisions. We perform an analysis of the different underlying atomic processes and simulate the recombination and two-photon spectrum of a nebula containing H and He. We provide an extended set of effective recombination coefficients and updated l-changing 2s − 2p transition rates using several competing theories. In principle, accurate astronomical observations could determine which theory is correct.",

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language = "English",

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AU - Guzmán, F.

AU - Badnell, N. R.

AU - Chatzikos, M.

AU - Van Hoof, P. A.M.

AU - Williams, R. J.R.

AU - Ferland, G. J.

PY - 2017/6/1

Y1 - 2017/6/1

N2 - Accurate rates for energy-degenerate l-changing collisions are needed to determine cosmological abundances and recombination. There are now several competing theories for the treatment of this process, and it is not possible to test these experimentally. We show that the H I two-photon continuum produced by astrophysical nebulae is strongly affected by lchanging collisions. We perform an analysis of the different underlying atomic processes and simulate the recombination and two-photon spectrum of a nebula containing H and He. We provide an extended set of effective recombination coefficients and updated l-changing 2s − 2p transition rates using several competing theories. In principle, accurate astronomical observations could determine which theory is correct.

AB - Accurate rates for energy-degenerate l-changing collisions are needed to determine cosmological abundances and recombination. There are now several competing theories for the treatment of this process, and it is not possible to test these experimentally. We show that the H I two-photon continuum produced by astrophysical nebulae is strongly affected by lchanging collisions. We perform an analysis of the different underlying atomic processes and simulate the recombination and two-photon spectrum of a nebula containing H and He. We provide an extended set of effective recombination coefficients and updated l-changing 2s − 2p transition rates using several competing theories. In principle, accurate astronomical observations could determine which theory is correct.

KW - Atomic data

KW - Atomic processes

KW - Cosmic background radiation

KW - Cosmology: observations

KW - H II regions

KW - Planetary nebulae: general

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DO - 10.1093/mnras/stx269

M3 - Article

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JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Testing atomic collision theory with the two-photon continuum of astrophysical nebulae

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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