Accurate Collisional Cross-Sections: Important Non-Lte Input Data

Institute of Astronomy, Russian Academy of Science, Pyatnitskaya 48, 119017 Moscow, Russia
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Abstract

Non-LTE modelling for a particular atom requires accurate collisional excitation and ionization cross-sections for the entire system of transitions in the atom. This review concerns with inelastic collisions with electrons and neutral hydrogen atoms. For the selected atoms, H i and Ca ii, comparisons are made between electron impact excitation rates from ab initio calculations and various theoretical approximations. The effect of the use of modern data on non-LTE modelling is shown. For most transitions and most atoms, hydrogen collisional rates are calculated using a semi-empirical modification of the classical Thomson formula for ionization by electrons. Approaches used to estimate empirically the efficiency of hydrogenic collisions in the statistical equilibrium of atoms are reviewed.