K‐line X‐ray fluorescence from highly charged iron ions under dense astrophysical plasma conditions

Abstract

In the present work, we report an investigation of plasma environment effects on the atomic parameters associated with the K‐vacancy states in highly charged iron ions within the astrophysical context of accretion disks around black holes. More particularly, the sensitivity of K‐line X‐ray fluorescence parameters (wavelengths, radiative transition probabilities, and Auger rates) in Fe XVII–Fe XXV ions has been estimated for plasma conditions characterized by an electron temperature ranging from 10⁵ to 10⁷ K and an electron density ranging from 10¹⁸ to 10²² cm⁻³. In order to do this, relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac‐Fock atomic structure calculations have been carried out by considering a time averaged Debye‐Hückel potential for both the electron–nucleus and electron–electron interactions.

Additional details