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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.00346 |
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| _version_ | 1866908857000787968 |
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| author | Bromley, S. Garbe, E. McElroy, N. Ballance, C. Fogle, M. Stancil, P. Loch, S. |
| author_facet | Bromley, S. Garbe, E. McElroy, N. Ballance, C. Fogle, M. Stancil, P. Loch, S. |
| contents | Kilonovae, the electromagnetic transients produced from two merging neutron stars, exhibit evolving spectral signatures in ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation. Starting around one week post-merger, equilibrium assumptions describing the local ionization balance and atomic level populations in the ejecta come into question, and non-equilibrium modeling is required. In this non-equilibrium regime, interactions with non-thermal electrons are critical inputs to ionization balance models. With most databases storing rate coefficients, the necessary cross sections describing these interactions are generally unavailable. We report new level-resolved calculations of the ionization cross sections of a species tentatively identified in kilonovae, Te I - III, using the Flexible Atomic Code. Good agreement is found between the calculated cross sections and a limited number of available measurements. Particular attention is paid to diagnosing the accuracy of the above-threshold channels that contribute through excitation autoionization. Calculations in the configuration average approximation yield ionization cross sections close to both experimental and level-resolved theoretical values. The computed cross sections are combined with a Spencer-Fano non-thermal electron energy solver and subsequent ionization balance models to probe the impact of improved cross section datasets on ion fractions of Te I - IV at kilonova-like plasma conditions. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_00346 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Atomic Data for Non-Equilibrium Modeling of Kilonovae: The Ionization Properties of Te I - III Bromley, S. Garbe, E. McElroy, N. Ballance, C. Fogle, M. Stancil, P. Loch, S. Atomic Physics Kilonovae, the electromagnetic transients produced from two merging neutron stars, exhibit evolving spectral signatures in ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation. Starting around one week post-merger, equilibrium assumptions describing the local ionization balance and atomic level populations in the ejecta come into question, and non-equilibrium modeling is required. In this non-equilibrium regime, interactions with non-thermal electrons are critical inputs to ionization balance models. With most databases storing rate coefficients, the necessary cross sections describing these interactions are generally unavailable. We report new level-resolved calculations of the ionization cross sections of a species tentatively identified in kilonovae, Te I - III, using the Flexible Atomic Code. Good agreement is found between the calculated cross sections and a limited number of available measurements. Particular attention is paid to diagnosing the accuracy of the above-threshold channels that contribute through excitation autoionization. Calculations in the configuration average approximation yield ionization cross sections close to both experimental and level-resolved theoretical values. The computed cross sections are combined with a Spencer-Fano non-thermal electron energy solver and subsequent ionization balance models to probe the impact of improved cross section datasets on ion fractions of Te I - IV at kilonova-like plasma conditions. |
| title | Atomic Data for Non-Equilibrium Modeling of Kilonovae: The Ionization Properties of Te I - III |
| topic | Atomic Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.00346 |