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New measurement resolves key astrophysical Fe XVII oscillator strength problem

One of the most enduring and intensively studied problems of x-ray astronomy is the disagreement of state-of-the art theory and observations for the intensity ratio of two Fe XVII transitions of crucial value for plasma diagnostics, dubbed 3C and 3D. We unravel this conundrum at the PETRA III synchr...

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Main Authors: Kühn, Steffen (Author) , Cheung, Charles (Author) , Oreshkina, Natalia S. (Author) , Steinbrügge, René (Author) , Togawa, Moto (Author) , Bernitt, Sonja (Author) , Berger, Lukas (Author) , Buck, Jens (Author) , Hoesch, Moritz (Author) , Seltmann, Jörn (Author) , Trinter, Florian (Author) , Keitel, Christoph H. (Author) , Kozlov, Mikhail G. (Author) , Porsev, Sergey G. (Author) , Gu, Ming Feng (Author) , Porter, F. Scott (Author) , Pfeifer, Thomas (Author) , Leutenegger, Maurice A. (Author) , Harman, Zoltán (Author) , Safronova, Marianna S. (Author) , Crespo López-Urrutia, José Ramon (Author) , Shah, Chintan (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 5 December 2022
In: Physical review letters
Year: 2022, Volume: 129, Issue: 24, Pages: 1-8
ISSN:1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.245001
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.245001
Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.245001
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Author Notes:Steffen Kühn, Charles Cheung, Natalia S. Oreshkina, René Steinbrügge, Moto Togawa, Sonja Bernitt, Lukas Berger, Jens Buck, Moritz Hoesch, Jörn Seltmann, Florian Trinter, Christoph H. Keitel, Mikhail G. Kozlov, Sergey G. Porsev, Ming Feng Gu, F. Scott Porter, Thomas Pfeifer, Maurice A. Leutenegger, Zoltán Harman, Marianna S. Safronova, José R. Crespo López-Urrutia, Chintan Shah
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Summary:One of the most enduring and intensively studied problems of x-ray astronomy is the disagreement of state-of-the art theory and observations for the intensity ratio of two Fe XVII transitions of crucial value for plasma diagnostics, dubbed 3C and 3D. We unravel this conundrum at the PETRA III synchrotron facility by increasing the resolving power 2.5 times and the signal-to-noise ratio thousandfold compared with our previous work. The Lorentzian wings had hitherto been indistinguishable from the background and were thus not modeled, resulting in a biased line-strength estimation. The present experimental oscillator-strength ratio Rexp=f3C/f3D=3.51(2)stat(7)sys agrees with our state-of-the-art calculation of Rth=3.55(2), as well as with some previous theoretical predictions. To further rule out any uncertainties associated with the measured ratio, we also determined the individual natural linewidths and oscillator strengths of 3C and 3D transitions, which also agree well with the theory. This finally resolves the decades-old mystery of Fe XVII oscillator strengths.
Item Description:Gesehen am 08.12.2022
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.245001

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