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A: Fachverband Atomphysik

A 16: Atomic systems in external fields I

A 16.7: Talk

Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 15:30–15:45, BAR 106

Ultra-fast calculation of bound atomic states and transitions in neutron star atmospheres with very strong magnetic fields — •Christoph Schimeczek and Günter Wunner — 1. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Stuttgart

X-ray absorption spectra of neutron stars contain broad line features which still defy interpretation but are most likely due to electromagnetic transitions of atoms and ions contained in the hot thin atmosphere covering the neutron stars. The presence of a very strong magnetic field with about 10⁸T distorts all atomic structures and creates totally new spectral behaviour. We developed an ultra-fast Hartree-Fock-Roothaan code to calculate atomic states and transition rates under such abnormal conditions with high precision and set up a database of up to now a hundred thousand unique atomic states. This data can serve as input for quantitative model atmosphere calculations, which will ultimately clarify the physical properties of the atmosphere.