The Iron Project and the RmaX Project: R-Matrix Data for Astrophysical and Fusion Applications

Journal Article · Fri May 27 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1944693· OSTI ID:20718978

Pradhan, Anil K ^[1]

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1. Ohio State University (United States)

The R-Matrix method has long been employed to compute fundamental atomic parameters with high precision for large scale applications to astrophysical sources and magnetic and inertial fusion devices. Ongoing work is part of two projects: The Iron Project that focuses on Fe-peak elements, and the RmaX Project aimed at spectral diagnostics of laboratory and astrophysical X-ray plasmas. The primary atomic processes include electron impact excitation, photoionization, (e + ion) recombination, and spectral transitions. These data are employed in numerical simulations of high-temperature plasmas under stationary and transient conditions. The calculated parameters have been benchmarked against sophisticated experiments on electron-beam-ion-traps for excitation, synchrotron based light sources for photoionization, and heavy ion storage rings for (e + ion) recombination. Extensions of the two projects include a self-consistent and unified theoretical treatment of (e + ion) recombination that subsumes both the radiative and the dielectronic recombination processes. Cross sections are computed using an identical (e + ion) wavefunction expansion for both the photoionization and the recombination processes, thereby considering the resonant and non-resonant phenomena in an ab initio manner. Comparison with experiments ascertain an accuracy of 10-20%, within the uncertainties in experiment and theory, indicating that there are no significant shortcomings in the R-matrix method. We compare the close coupling R-matrix data with the Distorted Wave approximation and the effect on X-ray spectral analysis. Finally, we describe the electronic database TIPTOPbase, which will also make available new stellar opacities and radiative accelerations from the Opacity Project.

• OSTI ID: 20718978
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 771, Issue 1; Conference: ITC14: 14. international Toki conference on plasma physics and controlled Nuclear Fusion; ICAMDATA2004: 4. international conference on atomic and molecular data and their applications, Toki (Japan), 5-8 Oct 2004; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1944693; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASTROPHYSICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DISTORTED WAVE THEORY
ELECTRON BEAMS
EXCITATION
HEAVY IONS
HOT PLASMA
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
IRON
LIGHT SOURCES
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
OPACITY
PHOTOIONIZATION
PLASMA SIMULATION
R MATRIX
RECOMBINATION
STORAGE RINGS
WAVE FUNCTIONS
X-RAY SPECTRA