Search

The initial insight into time delay in Mn photoionization in the region of the $3p \to 3d$ giant autoionization resonance is gained in the framework of the "spin-polarized" random phase approximation with exchange. The dramatic effect of the giant autoionization resonance on time delay of photoemission from the $3d$ and $4s$ valence subshells of the Mn atom is unraveled. Strong sensitivity of the time delay of the $4s$ photoemission to the final-state term of the ion-remainder [${\rm Mn^{+}}(4s^{1},$$^{5}S)$ vs.~${\rm Mn^{+}}(4s^{1},$$^{7}S)$] is discovered. It is shown that photoionization time delay in the autoionizing resonance region is explicitly associated with the resonance lifetime, which can, thus, be directly measured in attosecond time delay experiments. Similar features are expected to emerge in photoionization time delays of other transition-metal and rare-earth atoms with half-filed subshells that possess giant autoionization resonances as well., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 49 references

The interpretation of cosmic spectra relies on a vast sea of atomic data which are not readily obtainable from analytic expressions or simple calculations. Rather, their evaluation typically requires state-of-the-art atomic physics calculations, with the inclusion of weaker effects (spin-orbit and configuration interactions, relaxation, Auger broadening, etc.), to achieve the level of accuracy needed for use by astrophysicists. Our NASA-supported research program is focused on calculating data for three important atomic processes, 1) dielectronic recombination (DR), 2) inner-shell photoabsorption, and 3) fluorescence and Auger decay of inner-shell vacancy states. Some additional details and examples of our recent findings are given below.

We demonstrate that the inclusion of configuration interaction (CI) results in significant values for the K-shell fluorescence yields of Li-like ions, which are zero in a single-configuration approach. Modeling codes for simulating supernova remnants under nonequilibrium ionization conditions or photoionized plasmas such as active galactic nuclei or X-ray binaries need to be updated accordingly. A two-parameter fitting formula for the fluorescence yields has been developed. The generality of important CI effects on atomic calculations is pointed out.