An iterative technique for solving equations of statistical equilibrium

Superlevel partitioning is combined with a simple relaxation procedure to construct an iterative technique for solving equations of statistical equilibrium. In treating an N -level model atom, the technique avoids the N ³ scaling in computer time for direct solutions with standard linear equation routines and also does not fail at large N due to the accumulation of round-off errors. As a consequence, the technique allows detailed model atoms with N ≳10³ , such as those required for iron peak elements, to be incorporated into diagnostic codes for analysing astronomical spectra. Tests are reported for a 394-level Fe  ii ion and a 1266-level Ni  i – iv atom.     

Effective collision strengths for fine-structure forbidden transitions among the 3s23p4 levels of Cl ii

The ab initio R -matrix method is used to calculate effective collision strengths for electron-impact excitation of the sulphur-like ion Cl  ii in the close-coupling approximation. All 10 astrophysically important fine-structure forbidden transitions within the 3s²3p⁴     ,     ,     ground configuration levels are considered. The 12 lowest LS target states are included in the calculation. Effective collision strengths are obtained by averaging the electron collision strengths over a Maxwellian distribution of electron velocities. Results are presented for electron temperatures in the range  log  T (K)=3.3  to  log  T (K)=5.5  , appropriate for astrophysical applications. These are the only effective collision strength data that are currently available.     

Excitation of Sr ii lines in Eta Carinae

We study the nature of the peculiar [Sr  ii ] and Sr  ii emission filament found in the ejecta of Eta Carinae. To this purpose we carry out ab initio calculations of radiative transition probabilities and electron impact excitation rate coefficients for Sr  ii . Then we build a multilevel model for the system which is used to investigate the physical condition of the filament and the nature of the observed allowed and forbidden Sr  ii optical emission. It is found that the observed spectrum is consistent with the lines being pumped by the continuum radiation field in a mostly neutral region with electron density near 10⁷ cm⁻³. Under these conditions, the observed emission can be explained without the need for a large Sr overabundance.     

Profiles of blue and infrared diffuse interstellar bands

The paper presents a survey of profiles of reasonably strong diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) based on the extensive set of high-resolution spectra acquired with the aid of echelle spectrographs installed at the 2-m Terskol, 2-m Pic du Midi and 1-m SAO telescopes. The surveyed diffuse interstellar bands cover the spectral ranges of blue and near-infrared, i.e the DIBs not surveyed by Krełowski & Schmidt . The possible modifications caused by stellar and telluric lines are discussed. The very broad features such as 4430 are not discussed because the shapes of their profiles, extracted from echelle spectra, are very uncertain. The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios of the spectra are not high enough to enable discussion of the profiles of numerous weak interstellar features discovered recently.     

Modelling line profiles in infalling cores

Results are presented from a model of molecular line formation in collapsing star-forming cores. The study includes, for the first time, a self-consistent chemical and dynamical model which is then directly coupled to an appropriate radiative transfer model. The assumptions of chemical uniformity or simple monotonic variations within such cores are shown to be unacceptable. The results show that the abundance variations and the line profiles are highly sensitive to the assumed values of the free parameters in the chemical model. Extreme caution is therefore advised in the quantitative analysis of emission-line profiles from infall sources. The implied degeneracy can be overcome by multiple line-of-sight observations of many species and transitions.     

Further constraints on variation of the fine-structure constant from alkali-doublet QSO absorption lines

Comparison of quasar (QSO) absorption-line spectra with laboratory spectra provides a precise probe for variability of the fine-structure constant, α , over cosmological time-scales. We constrain variation in α in 21 Keck/HIRES Si  iv absorption systems using the alkali-doublet (AD) method in which changes in α are related to changes in the doublet spacing. The precision obtained with the AD method has been increased by a factor of 3:     . We also analyse potential systematic errors in this result. Finally, we compare the AD method with the many-multiplet method, which has achieved an order of magnitude greater precision, and we discuss the future of the AD method.     

Cosmological variations in the space-time distribution of absorption systems in quasar spectra

Based on the catalog of Junkkarinen et al. (1991), we analyze the space-time distribution of absorption systems in quasar spectra at cosmological redshifts z=0–3.7. The z distribution of absorbing matter is shown to have a pattern of alternating maxima (peaks) and minima (dips). Within statistical uncertainty, the positions of such peaks and dips do not depend on the direction of observation. We have found a periodicity in the distribution of absorption systems in the functions ln(1+z) and (1+z)^?1/2. We show that the derived sequence of maxima and minima in the space-time distribution of absorbing matter is not a manifestation of the spatial large-scale structure alone, but it is more likely temporal in nature. The most probable source of the putative structure could be an alternation (in the course of cosmological evolution) of pronounced and depressed epochs with a characteristic time interval of 520±160 Myr, depending on the cosmological model chosen.