• DOI:10.3390/s22030752
• Corpus ID: 246015370

Uncertainties in Atomic Data for Modeling Astrophysical Charge Exchange Plasmas

@article{Gu2022UncertaintiesIA,
  title={Uncertainties in Atomic Data for Modeling Astrophysical Charge Exchange Plasmas},
  author={Liyi Gu and Chintan Shah and Ruitian Zhang},
  journal={Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)},
  year={2022},
  volume={22}
}

• L. Gu, C. Shah, Ruitian Zhang
• Published 16 January 2022
• Physics
• Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)

Relevant uncertainties of theoretical atomic data are vital to determining the accuracy of plasma diagnostics in a number of areas, including, in particular, the astrophysical study. We present a new calculation of the uncertainties on the present theoretical ion-impact charge exchange atomic data and X-ray spectra, based on a set of comparisons with the existing laboratory data obtained in historical merged-beam, cold-target recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy, and electron beam ion traps experiments. The average systematic uncertainties are found to be 35–88% on the total cross sections, and 57–75% on the characteristic line ratios. The model deviation increases as the collision energy decreases. The errors on total cross sections further induce a significant uncertainty to the calculation of ionization balance for low-temperature collisional plasmas. Substantial improvements of the atomic database and dedicated laboratory measurements are needed to obtain the current models, ready for the X-ray spectra from the next X-ray spectroscopic mission.