arXiv subjects

R. L. Kurucz

Publications and source records attributed to R. L. Kurucz.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Stellar limb darkening. A new MPS-ATLAS library for Kepler, TESS, CHEOPS, and PLATO passbands

The detection of the first exoplanet paved the way into the era of transit photometry space missions with a revolutionary photometric precision that aim at discovering new exoplanetary systems around different types of stars. With this high precision, it is possible to derive very accurately the radii of exoplanets which is crucial for constraining their type and composition. However, it requires an accurate description of host stars, especially their center-to-limb variation of intensities (so called limb darkening) as it affects the planet-to-star radius ratio determination. We aim at improving the accuracy of limb darkening calculations for stars with a wide range of fundamental parameters. We used the recently developed 1D MPS-ATLAS code to compute model atmosphere structures and to synthesize stellar limb darkening on a very fine grid of stellar parameters. For the computations we utilized the most accurate information on chemical element abundances and mixing length parameters including convective overshoot. The stellar limb darkening was fitted using the two most accurate limb darkening laws: the power-2 and 4-parameters non-linear laws. We present a new extensive library of stellar model atmospheric structures, the synthesized stellar limb darkening curves, and the coefficients of parameterized limb-darkening laws on a very fine grid of stellar parameters in the Kepler, TESS, CHEOPS, and PLATO passbands. The fine grid allows overcoming the sizable errors introduced by the need to interpolate. Our computations of solar limb darkening are in a good agreement with available solar measurements at different view angles and wavelengths. Our computations of stellar limb darkening agree well with available measurements of Kepler stars. A new grid of stellar model structures, limb darkening and their fitted coefficients in different broad filters is provided in CDS.

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arXiv2021

MPS-ATLAS: A fast all-in-one code for synthesising stellar spectra

Context. Stellar spectral synthesis is essential for various applications, ranging from determining stellar parameters to comprehensive stellar variability calculations. New observational resources as well as advanced stellar atmosphere modelling, taking three dimensional (3D) effects from radiative magnetohydrodynamics calculations into account, require a more efficient radiative transfer. Aims. For accurate, fast and flexible calculations of opacity distribution functions (ODFs), stellar atmospheres and stellar spectra we developed an efficient code building on the well-established ATLAS9 code. The new code also paves the way for an easy and fast access to different elemental compositions in stellar calculations. Methods. For the generation of ODF tables we further developed the well-established DFSYNTHE code by implementing additional functionality, and a speed-up by employing a parallel computation scheme. In addition, the line lists used can be changed from Kurucz's recent lists. In particular, we implemented the VALD3 line list. Results. A new code, the Merged Parallelised Simplified ATLAS is presented. It combines the efficient generation of ODF, atmosphere modelling and spectral synthesis in local thermodynamic equilibrium, therefore being an all-in-one code. This all-in-one code provides more numerical functionality and is substantially faster compared to other available codes. The fully portable MPS-ATLAS code is validated against previous ATLAS9 calculations, the PHOENIX code calculations, and high quality observations.

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arXiv2020

Helium Enhancement in the Metal Rich Red Giants of Omega Centauri

The helium-enriched (He-enriched) metal-rich red giants of Omega Centauri, discovered by Hema and Pandey using the low-resolution spectra from the Vainu Bappu Telescope (VBT) and confirmed by the analyses of the high-resolution spectra obtained from the HRS-South African Large Telescope (SALT) for LEID 34225 and LEID 39048, are reanalysed here to determine their degree of He-enhancement/hydrogen-deficiency (H-deficiency). The observed MgH band combined with model atmospheres with differing He/H ratios are used for the analyses. The He/H ratios of these two giants are determined by enforcing the fact that the derived Mg abundances from the MgI lines and from the subordinate lines of the MgH band must be same for the adopted model atmosphere. The estimated He/H ratios for LEID 34225 and LEID 39048 are 0.15+/-0.04 and 0.20+/-0.04, respectively, whereas the normal He/H ratio is 0.10. Following the same criteria for the analyses of the other two comparison stars (LEID 61067 and LEID 32169), a normal He/H ratio of 0.10 is obtained. The He/H ratio of 0.15-0.20 corresponds to a mass fraction of helium (Z(He)=Y) of about 0.375-0.445. The range of helium enhancement and the derived metallicity of the program stars are in line with those determined for Omega Cen blue main-sequence stars. Hence, our study provides the missing link for the evolutionary track of the metal-rich helium-enhanced population of Omega Centuari. This research work is the very first spectroscopic determination of the amount of He-enhancement in the metal-rich red giants of Omega Centauri using the MgI and MgH lines.

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arXiv2016

Chromospheric Models and the Oxygen Abundance in Giant Stars

Realistic stellar atmospheric models of two typical metal-poor giant stars in Omega Centauri that include a chromosphere influence the formation of optical lines of Oxygen I: the forbidden lines (630nm, 636nm) and the infrared triplet (777.1-777.5 nm). One-dimensional semi-empirical non-LTE models are constructed based on observed Balmer lines. A full non-LTE formulation is applied in evaluating line strengths of O I including photoionization by the Lyman continuum and photoexcitation by Ly-alpha and Ly-beta. Chromospheric models (CHR) yield forbidden oxygen transitions that are stronger than in radiative/convective equilibrium (RCE) models. The triplet oxygen lines from high levels also appear stronger than produced in an RCE model. The inferred oxygen abundance from realistic CHR models for these two stars is decreased by factors ~3 as compared to values derived from RCE models. A lower oxygen abundance suggests that intermediate mass AGB stars contribute to the observed abundance pattern in globular clusters. A change in the oxygen abundance of metal-poor field giants could affect models of deep mixing episodes on the red giant branch. Changes in the oxygen abundance can impact other abundance determinations critical to astrophysics including chemical tagging techniques and galactic chemical evolution.

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arXiv2015

New Mn II energy levels from STIS-HST spectrum of the HgMn star HD 175640

The NIST database lists several Mn II lines that were observed in the laboratory but not classified. They cannot be used in spectrum synthesis because their atomic line data are unknown. These lines are concentrated in the 2380-2700 A interval. We aimed to assign energy levels and log gf values to these lines. Semi-empirical line data for Mn II computed by Kurucz were used to synthesize the ultraviolet spectrum of the slow-rotating, HgMn star HD 175640. The spectrum was compared with the high-resolution spectrum observed with the HST-STIS equipment. A UVES spectrum covering the 3050-10000 A region was also examined. We determined a total of 73 new energy levels, 58 from the STIS spectrum of HD 175640 and another 15 from the UVES spectrum. The new energy levels give rise to numerous new computed lines. We have identified more than 50% of the unclassified lines listed in the NIST database and have changed the assignement of another 24 lines. An abundance analysis of the star HD 175640, based on the comparison of observed and computed ultraviolet spectra in the 1250-3040 A interval, is the by-product of this study on Mn II.

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arXiv2010

New Fe II energy levels from stellar spectra

The spectra of B-type and early A-type stars show numerous unidentified lines in the whole optical range, especially in the 5100 - 5400 A interval. Because Fe II transitions to high energy levels should be observed in this region, we used semiempirical predicted wavelengths and gf-values of Fe II to identify unknown lines. Semiempirical line data for Fe II computed by Kurucz are used to synthesize the spectrum of the slow-rotating, Fe-overabundant CP star HR 6000. We determined a total of 109 new 4f levels for Fe II with energies ranging from 122324 cm^-1 to 128110 cm^-1. They belong to the Fe II subconfigurations 3d^6(^3P)4f (10 levels), 3d^6(^3H)4f (36 levels), 3d^6(^3F)4f (37 levels), and 3d^6(^3G)4f (26 levels). We also found 14 even levels from 4d (3 levels), 5d (7 levels), and 6d (4 levels) configurations. The new levels have allowed us to identify more than 50% of the previously unidentified lines of HR 6000 in the wavelength region 3800-8000 A. Tables listing the new energy levels are given in the paper; tables listing the spectral lines with loggf>/=-1.5 that are transitions to the 4f energy levels are given in the Online Material. These new levels produce 18000 lines throughout the spectrum from the ultraviolet to the infrared.

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arXiv2009

Biological Damage due to Photospheric, Chromospheric and Flare Radiation in the Environments of Main-Sequence Stars

We explore the biological damage initiated in the environments of F, G, K, and M-type main-sequence stars due to photospheric, chromospheric and flare radiation. The amount of chromospheric radiation is, in a statistical sense, directly coupled to the stellar age as well as the presence of significant stellar magnetic fields and dynamo activity. With respect to photospheric radiation, we also consider detailed synthetic models, taking into account millions or hundred of millions of lines for atoms and molecules. Chromospheric UV radiation is increased in young stars in regard to all stellar spectral types. Flare activity is most pronounced in K and M-type stars, which also has the potential of stripping the planetary atmospheres of close-in planets, including planets located in the stellar habitable zone. For our studies, we take DNA as a proxy for carbon-based macromolecules, guided by the paradigm that carbon might constitute the biochemical centerpiece of extraterrestrial life forms. Planetary atmospheric attenuation is considered in an approximate manner.

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arXiv2009

New identified (3H)4d - (3H)4f transitions of Fe II from UVES spectra of HR 6000 and 46 Aql

The analysis of the high-resolution UVES spectra of the CP stars HR 6000 and 46 Aql revealed the presence of an impressive number of unidentified lines, in particular in the 5000 - 5400 A region. Because numerous 4d-4f transitions of FeII lie in this spectral range, and because both stars are iron overabundant, we investigated whether the unidentified lines can be due to FeII. ATLAS12 model atmospheres with parameters [13450K, 4.3] and [12560K, 3.8] were computed for the individual abundances of HR 6000 and 46 Aql, respectively, in order to use the stars as spectroscopic sources to identify FeII lines and to determine FeII gf-values. After having identified several unknown lines in the stellar spectra as due to (3H)4d - (3H)4f transitions of FeII, we derived stellar log gf's for them by comparing observed and computed profiles. The energies of the upper levels were assigned on the basis of both laboratory iron spectra and predicted energy levels. We fixed 21 new levels of FeII with energies between 122910.9 cm^-1 and 123441.1 cm^-1. They allowed us to add 1700 new lines to the Fe II line list in the range 810 - 15011 A.

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arXiv2009

New extended atomic data in cool star model atmospheres - Using Kurucz's new iron data in MAFAGS-OS models

Context. Cool star model atmospheres are a common tool for the investigation of stellar masses, ages and elemental abundance composition. Theoretical atmospheric models strongly depend on the atomic data used when calculating them. Aims. We present the changes in flux and temperature stratification when changing from iron data computed by R.L. Kurucz in the mid 90s to the Kurucz 2009 iron computations. Methods. MAFAGS-OS opacity sampling atmospheres were recomputed with Kurucz 2009 iron atomic data as implemented in the VALD database by Ryabchikova. Temperature stratification and emergent flux distribution of the new version, called MAFAGS-OS9, is compared to the former version and to solar flux measurements. Results. Using the Kurucz line lists converted into the VALD format and new bound-free opacities for Mg i and Al i leads to changes in the solar temperature stratification by not more than 28 K. At the same time, the calculated solar flux distribution shows significantly better agreement between observations and theoretical solar models. These changes in the temperature stratification of the corresponding models are small, but nevertheless of a magnitude that affects stellar parameter determinations and abundance analysis.

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arXiv2008

Astrobiological Effects of F, G, K and M Main-Sequence Stars

We focus on the astrobiological effects of photospheric radiation produced by main-sequence stars of spectral types F, G, K, and M. The photospheric radiation is represented by using realistic spectra, taking into account millions or hundred of millions of lines for atoms and molecules. DNA is taken as a proxy for carbon-based macromolecules, assumed to be the chemical centerpiece of extraterrestrial life forms. Emphasis is placed on the investigation of the radiative environment in conservative as well as generalized habitable zones.

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arXiv2007

Astrobiology in the Environments of Main-Sequence Stars: Effects of Photospheric Radiation

We explore if carbon-based macromolecules (such as DNA) in the environments of stars other than the Sun are able to survive the effects of photospheric stellar radiation, such as UV-C. Therefore, we focus on main-sequence stars of spectral types F, G, K, and M. Emphasis is placed on investigating the radiative environment in the stellar habitable zones. Stellar habitable zones are relevant to astrobiology because they constitute circumstellar regions in which a planet of suitable size can maintain surface temperatures for water to exist in fluid form, thus increasing the likelihood of Earth-type life.

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arXiv2004

ATLAS and SYNTHE under Linux

We have successfully ported under GNU Linux ATLAS 9, the widely used stellar atmosphere modeling code, as well as both the SYNTHE suite of programs, its ``companion'' for spectral synthesis, and WIDTH, used to derive chemical abundances from equivalent widths of spectral lines. The porting has been realized by using the Intel Fortran Compiler. Our aim was to port the codes with the minimum possible amount of modifications: full compatibility with the VMS version has been maintained, along with all the codes functionalities. Dramatic improvement in calculation speed with respect to the VMS version has been achieved. The full suite of codes is intended to be freely available to anyone.

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arXiv2004

New Grids of ATLAS9 Model Atmospheres

New opacity distribution functions (ODFs) for several metallicities have been computed. The main improvements upon previous ODFs computed by Kurucz (1990) are: (1) the replacement of the solar abundances from Anders & Grevesse (1989) with those from Grevesse & Sauval (1998); (2) the replacement of the TiO lines provided by Kurucz (1993) with the TiO lines from Schwenke (1998), as distributed by Kurucz (1999a); (3) the addition of the H2O lines from Partridge & Schwenke (1997) as distributed by Kurucz (1999b); (4) the addition of the HI-HI and HI-H+ quasi-molecular absorptions near 1600 A and 1400 A computed according to Allard et al. (1998). Other minor improvements are related with some changes in a few atomic and molecular data. New grids of ATLAS9 model atmospheres for Teff from 3500K to 50000K and logg from 0.0 dex to 5.0 dex have been computed for several metallicities with the new ODFs. Preliminary comparisons of the results from the old and new models have shown differences in the energy distributions of stars cooler than 4500K, in the ultraviolet energy distribution of metal-poor A-type stars, in the U-B and u-b color indices for Teff<7000K and in all the color indices for Teff<4250K.

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arXiv2003

Spatially Resolved STIS Spectroscopy of Betelgeuse's Outer Atmosphere

We present spatially resolved spectra observed with HST-STIS of the upper chromosphere and dust envelope of Alpha Orionis (M2 Iab). In the fall of 2002 a set of five high-resolution near-UV spectra was obtained by scanning at intensity peak-up position and four off-limb target positions up to one arcsecond, using a small aperture, to investigate the thermal conditions and flow dynamics in the outer atmosphere of this important nearby cool supergiant star. Based on Mg II h & k, Fe II 2716 A, C II 2327 A, and Al II ] 2669 A emission lines we provide the first evidence for the presence of warm chromospheric plasma at least 1 arcsecond away from the star at ~40 R* (1 R*~700 Rsun). The STIS spectra reveal that Betelgeuse's upper chromosphere extends far beyond the circumstellar H alpha envelope of ~5 R*, determined from previous ground-based imaging. The flux in the broad and self-absorbed resonance lines of Mg II decreases by a factor of ~700 compared to the flux at chromospheric disk center. We observe strong asymmetry changes in the Mg II h and Si I resonance line profiles when scanning off-limb, signaling the outward acceleration of gas outflow in the upper chromosphere. From the radial intensity distributions of Fe I and Fe II emission lines we determine the radial non-LTE iron ionization balance. We compute that the local kinetic gas temperatures of the warm chromospheric gas component in the outer atmosphere exceed 2600 K, when assuming local gas densities of the cool gas component we determine from radiative transfer models that fit the 9.7 um silicate dust emission feature. The spatially resolved STIS spectra directly demonstrate that warm chromospheric plasma co-exisists with cool gas in Betelgeuse's circumstellar dust envelope.

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arXiv2002

The Progenitor of Supernova 1993J Revisited

From Hubble Space Telescope images with 0.05" resolution we identify four stars brighter than V=25 mag within 2.5" of SN 1993J in M81 which contaminated previous ground-based brightness estimates for the supernova progenitor. Correcting for the contamination, we find that the energy distribution of the progenitor is consistent with that of an early K-type supergiant star with M_V \~ -7.0 +/- 0.4 mag and an initial mass of 13--22 Msun. The brightnesses of the nearby stars are sufficient to account for the excess blue light seen from the ground in pre-explosion observations. Therefore, the SN 1993J progenitor did not necessarily have a blue companion, although by 2001, fainter blue stars are seen in close proximity to the supernova. These observations do not strongly limit the mass of a hypothetical companion. A blue dwarf star with a mass up to 30 Msun could have been orbiting the progenitor without being detected in the ground-based images. Explosion models and observations show that the SN 1993J progenitor had a helium-rich envelope. To test whether the helium abundance could influence the energy distribution of the progenitor, we calculated model supergiant atmospheres with a range of plausible helium abundances. The models show that the pre-supernova colors are not strongly affected by the helium abundance longward of 4000 A, and abundances ranging between solar and 90% helium (by number) are all consistent with the observations.

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arXiv2002

Convective intensification of magnetic flux tubes in stellar photospheres

The convective collapse of thin magnetic flux tubes in the photospheres of sun-like stars is investigated using realistic models of the superadiabatic upper convection zone layers of these stars. The strengths of convectively stable flux tubes are computed as a function of surface gravity and effective temperature. We find that while stars with T$_{eff}\ge$ 5500 K and log $g$$\ge$ 4.0 show flux tubes highly evacuated of gas, and hence strong field strengths, due to convective collapse, cooler stars exhibit flux tubes with lower field strengths. Observations reveal the existence of field strengths close to thermal equipartition limits even in cooler stars, implying highly evacuated tubes, for which we suggest possible reasons.

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arXiv1998

Fe II emission lines in the UV spectrum of Sirius-A and Vega

We present high-quality HST/GHRS spectra in the Hydrogen L alpha spectral region of Vega and Sirius-A. Thanks to the signal-to-noise ratio achieved in these observations and to the similarity of the two spectra, we found clear evidence of emission features in the low flux region, 1190-1222 A. These emission lines can be attributed unambiguously to Fe II and Cr II transitions. In this spectral range, silicon lines are observed in absorption. We built a series of non-LTE model atmospheres with different, prescribed temperature stratification in the upper atmosphere and treating Fe II with various degrees of sophistication in non-LTE. Emission lines are produced by the combined effect of the Schuster mechanism and radiative interlocking, and can be explained without the presence of a chromosphere. Silicon absorption lines and the L alpha profile set constraints on the presence of a chromosphere, excluding a strong temperature rise in layers deeper than tau_R ~ 10^{-4}.

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