Ca line formation in late-type stellar atmospheres : I. The model atom

• ContextDepartures from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) distort the calcium abundance derived from stellar spectra in various ways, depending on the lines used and the stellar atmospheric parameters. The collection of atomic data adopted in non-LTE (NLTE) calculations must be sufficiently complete and accurate.AimsWe derive NLTE abundances from high-quality observations and reliable stellar parameters using a model atom built afresh for this work, and check the consistency of our results over a wide wavelength range with transitions of atomic and singly ionised calcium.MethodsWe built and tested Cat and Can model atoms with state-of-the-art radiative and collisional data, and tested their performance deriving the Ca abundance in three benchmark stars: Procyon, the Sun, and Arcturus. We have excellent-quality observations and accurate stellar parameters for these stars. Two methods to derive the LTE/NLTE abundances were used and compared. The LTE/NLTE centre-to-limb variation (CLV) of Ca lines in the Sun was also investigated.ResultsThe two methods used give similar results in all three stars. Several discrepancies found in LTE do not appear in our NLTE results; in particular the agreement between abundances in the visual and infra-red (IR) and the Cat and Can ionisation balance is improved overall, although substantial line-to-line scatter remains. The CLV of the calcium lines around 6165 angstrom can be partially reproduced. We suspect differences between our modelling and CLV results are due to inhomogeneities in the atmosphere that require 3D modelling.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

line: formation

stars: abundances

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