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High precision spectroscopy of the low-lying dielectronic resonances in fluorine-like nickel ions were determined by employing the merged electron-ion beam at the heavy-ion storage ring CSRm. The measured dielectronic resonances are identified by comparing with the most recent relativistic calculation utilizing the FAC code. The first resonance at about 86 meV due to the dielectronic recombination via (2s2p6[2S1/2]6s)J=1 intermediate state was recognized. The experimental determination of the resonance position at 86 meV reaches an uncertainty of 4 meV, which allows precise determination of the 2s22p5[2P3/2] - 2s2p6[2S1/2] transition energy. The Rydberg binding energy of the 6s electron in the (2s2p6[2S1/2]6s)J=1 state is calculated by the multi-configurational Dirac-HartreeFock and stabilization methods. The determined transition energies are 149.056(4)exp(10)theo and 149.032(4)exp(6)theo, respectively. Moreover, the transition energy has also been calculated by fully relativistic and ab initio approaches. Individual theoretical contributions are evaluated by employing the core-Hartree and Kohn-Sham screening potentials, respectively. High-order QED and correlation effects contribute prominently to the total transition energy. The present DR precision spectroscopy study at the CSRm paves the way for future precision measurements of atomic energy levels with heavier highly charged ions., Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures

A brief overview on the status of experimental investigations into photoionization and fragmentation of fullerenes and endohedral fullerenes by absorption of a single short-wavelength photon is presented. The focus of this paper is on the endohedral Xe@C60+ molecular ion in which a xenon atom is centrally encapsulated inside a C+60 fullerene cage. Confinement resonances that result from the interference of Xe photoelectron matter waves emerging from the C+60 cavity were studied by exposing Xe@C60+ ions to synchrotron radiation of 60 to 150 eV energy which is the region of the well-known giant atomic Xe 4d excitation resonance. Photoions Xe@C n q+ (with final charge states q = 2,3,4 of the product ions and numbers of carbon atoms left in the cage) were recorded as a function of photon energy and cross sections for the individual reaction channels were determined. In addition to previous work, new final channels (q = 2; n = 60, 58 and q = 4; n = 58, 56) were observed, and thus, about 70% of the oscillator strength expected for the encapsulated Xe atom in the investigated energy range could be recovered. The present results establish the first and, so far, only conclusive experimental observation of confinement resonances in an endohedral fullerene. The data are in remarkable agreement with relativistic R-matrix calculations that accompanied the previous experimental work.

Direct double ionization of the Ar+(3p-1) ion by a single photon is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The photon-ion merged-beams technique was employed at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley, USA, to measure absolute cross sections in the energy range from 60 to 150 eV. In this range, three contributions to the double ionization of Ar+ are to be expected: the removal of two 3p electrons, of a 3s and a 3p electron, and of two 3s electrons. Among the possible mechanisms leading to double ionization, the TS1 (two-step one) process dominates in the near-threshold region. In TS1, a photoelectron is ejected and, on its way out, knocks out a secondary electron. This two-step mechanism is treated theoretically by multiplying the calculated cross section for direct single photoionization of a given subshell with the calculated (e,2e) ionization probability for the ejected photoelectron to knock off a secondary electron. The calculated cross section is in very good agreement with the experiment.

Absolute cross sections for electron-impact single ionisation (EISI) of multiply charged tungsten ions (W$^{q+}$) with charge states in the range $ 11 \leq q \leq 18$ in the electron-ion collision energy ranges from below the respective ionisation thresholds up to 1000~eV were measured employing the electron-ion crossed-beams method. In order to extend the results to higher energies, cross section calculations were performed using the subconfiguration-averaged distorted-wave (SCADW) method for electron-ion collision energies up to 150~keV. From the combined experimental and scaled theoretical cross sections rate coefficients were derived which are compared with the ones contained in the ADAS database and which are based on the configuration-averaged distorted wave (CADW) calculations of Loch et al. [Phys. Rev. A 72, 052716 (2005)]. Significant discrepancies were found at the temperatures where the ions investigated here are expected to form in collisionally ionised plasmas. These discrepancies are attributed to the limitations of the CADW approach and also the more detailed SCADW treatment which do not allow for a sufficiently accurate description of the EISI cross sections particularly at the ionisation thresholds., Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, 4 tabels

In a joint experimental and theoretical endeavor, photoionization of metastable C4+(1s2sS13) ions via intermediate levels with hollow, double-K-vacancy configurations 2s2p, 2s3p, 2p3s, 2p3d, 2s4p, 2p4s, and 2p4d has been investigated. High-resolution photon-ion merged-beams measurements were carried out with the resolving power reaching up to 25 800 which is sufficient to separate the leading fine-structure components of the 2s2pP3 term. Many-body perturbation theory was employed to determine level-to-level cross sections for K-shell excitation with subsequent autoionization. The resonance energies were calculated with inclusion of electron correlation and radiative contributions. Their uncertainties are estimated to be below ±1 meV. Detailed balance confirms the present photoionization cross-section results by comparison with previous dielectronic-recombination measurements. The high accuracy of the theoretical transition energies together with the present experimental results qualify photoabsorption resonances in heliumlike ions as new, greatly improved energy-reference standards at synchrotron radiation facilities.

© 2017 American Physical Society. Absolute cross-section measurements are reported for single photoionization of Cn+ fullerene molecular ions (n=40, 50, 70, 76, 78, and 84) in the photon-energy range 18-70 eV. The experiments were performed by merging a mass and charge selected beam of Cn+ molecular ions with a beam of monochromatized synchrotron radiation and measuring the yield of Cn2+ product ions as a function of the photon energy. Oscillator strengths determined by integrating the measured cross sections over this energy range exhibit a linear dependence on n. The cross sections are parametrized by fits to three Lorentzian functions to represent plasmon excitations and a linear function for direct ionization. The highest-energy resonance in the data near 46 eV is similar to that previously observed in single photoionization of C60 and may be attributable to a harmonic of the dominant surface-plasmon resonance near 23 eV.

Experimental and theoretical results are reported for single-photon single ionization of the tungsten ion W4+. Absolute cross sections have been measured employing the photon-ion merged-beams setup at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley. Detailed photon-energy scans were performed at 200 meV bandwidth in the 40-105 eV range. Theoretical results have been obtained from a Dirac-Coulomb R-matrix approach employing basis sets of 730 levels for the photoionization of W4+. Calculations were carried out for the 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d23FJ, J = 2, ground level and the associated fine-structure levels with J = 3 and 4 for the W4+ ions. In addition, cross sections have been calculated for the metastable levels 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d23P0,1,2, 1D2, 1G4, 1S0. A very satisfying agreement of theory and experiment is found for the photoionization cross section of W4+ which is remarkable given the complexity of the electronic structure of tungsten ions in low charge states.

Our computation effort is primarily concentrated on support of current and future measurements being carried out at various synchrotron radiation facilities around the globe, and photodissociation computations for astrophysical applications. In our work we solve the Schr\"odinger or Dirac equation for the appropriate collision problem using the R-matrix or R-matrix with pseudo-states approach from first principles. The time dependent close-coupling (TDCC) method is also used in our work. A brief summary of the methodology and ongoing developments implemented in the R-matrix suite of Breit-Pauli and Dirac-Atomic R-matrix codes (DARC) is presented., Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures: chapter in the book, High Performance Computing in Science and Engineering'16, edited by W. E. Nagel, D. B. Kr\"oner, and M. Reich (Springer, New York and Berlin, 2017)

Relative cross sections for the valence shell photoionisation (PI) of $\rm ^2S$ ground level and $\rm ^2D$ metastable Ca$^{+}$ ions were measured with high energy resolution by using the ion-photon merged-beams technique at the Advanced Light Source. Overview measurements were performed with a full width at half maximum bandpass of $\Delta E =17$~meV, covering the energy range 20~eV -- 56~eV. Details of the PI spectrum were investigated at energy resolutions reaching the level of $\Delta E=3.3$~meV. The photon energy scale was calibrated with an uncertainty of $\pm5$~meV. By comparison with previous absolute measurements %by Kjeldsen et al in the energy range 28~eV -- 30.5~eV and by Lyon et al in the energy range 28~eV -- 43~eV the present experimental high-resolution data were normalised to an absolute cross-section scale and the fraction of metastable Ca$^{+}$ ions that were present in the parent ion beam was determined to be 18$\pm$4\%. Large-scale R-matrix calculations using the Dirac Coulomb approximation and employing 594 levels in the close-coupling expansion were performed for the Ca$^{+}(3s^23p^64s~^2\textrm{S}_{1/2})$ and Ca$^{+}(3s^2 3p^6 3d~^2\textrm{D}_{3/2,5/2})$ levels. The experimental data are compared with the results of these calculations and previous theoretical and experimental studies., Comment: 19 pages, 14 figures, 3 tables

Experimental and theoretical results are reported for single-photon single ionization of W2+ and W3+ tungsten ions. Experiments were performed at the photon-ion merged-beam setup of the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley. Absolute cross sections and detailed energy scans were measured over an energy range 20-90 eV at a bandwidth of 100 meV. Broad peak features with widths typically around 5 eV have been observed with almost no narrow resonances present in the investigated energy range. Theoretical results were obtained from a Dirac-Coulomb R-matrix approach. The calculations were carried out for the lowest-energy terms of the investigated tungsten ions with levels 5s 5p 5d DJ = for W2+ and 5s 5p 5d FJ= for W3+. Assuming a statistically weighted distribution of ions in the initial ground-term levels there is good agreement of theory and experiment for W3+ ions. However, for W2+ ions at higher energies there is a factor of approximately two difference between experimental and theoretical cross sections.

© 2016 American Physical Society. Cross-section measurements are reported for single and double photoionization of C60+ ions in the photon energy range 18-150 eV accompanied by the loss of zero to seven pairs of carbon atoms, as well as for fragmentation without ionization resulting in loss of two to eight pairs of C atoms in the photon energy range 18-65 eV. Absolute measurements were performed by merging a beam of C60+ molecular ions with a beam of monochromatized synchrotron radiation. Product channels involving dissociation yielding smaller fullerene fragment ions account for nearly half of the total measured oscillator strength in this energy range. The sum of cross sections for the measured product channels is compared to a published calculation of the total photoabsorption cross section of neutral C60 based on time-dependent density-functional theory. This comparison and an accounting of oscillator strengths indicate that with the exception of C58+, the most important product channels resulting from photoabsorption were accounted for in the experiment. Threshold energies for the successive removal of carbon atom pairs accompanying photoionization are also determined from the measurements.

We have measured electron impact ionization (EII) for Fe8+ forming Fe9+ from below the ionization threshold to 1200 eV. These measurements were carried out at the TSR heavy ion storage ring. The objective of using a storage ring is to store the ion beam initially so that metastable levels decay, thereby allowing for measurements on a well-defined ground-level ion beam. In this case, however, some metastable levels were too long lived to be removed. We discuss several methods for quantifying the metastable fraction, which we estimate to be ∼30%– 40%. Although metastables remain problematic, the present storage ring work improves upon other experimental geometries by limiting the metastable contamination to only a few long-lived excited levels. We discuss some future prospects for obtaining improved measurements of Fe8+ and other ions with long-lived metastable levels.

We present new experimentally measured and theoretically calculated rate coefficients for the electron-ion recombination of W$^{18+}$([Kr] $4d^{10}$ $4f^{10}$) forming W$^{17+}$. At low electron-ion collision energies, the merged-beam rate coefficient is dominated by strong, mutually overlapping, recombination resonances. In the temperature range where the fractional abundance of W$^{18+}$ is expected to peak in a fusion plasma, the experimentally derived Maxwellian recombination rate coefficient is 5 to 10 times larger than that which is currently recommended for plasma modeling. The complexity of the atomic structure of the open-$4f$-system under study makes the theoretical calculations extremely demanding. Nevertheless, the results of new Breit-Wigner partitioned dielectronic recombination calculations agree reasonably well with the experimental findings. This also gives confidence in the ability of the theory to generate sufficiently accurate atomic data for the plasma modeling of other complex ions., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, 40 references, accepted for publication in Physical Review A

We present experimentally measured and theoretically calculated rate coefficients for the electron-ion recombination of W 18 + ( [ Kr ] 4 d 10 4 f 10 ) forming W 17 + . At low electron-ion collision energies, the merged-beam rate coefficient is dominated by strong, mutually overlapping recombination resonances. In the temperature range where the fractional abundance of W 18 + is expected to peak in a fusion plasma, the experimentally derived Maxwellian recombination rate coefficient is 5 to 10 times larger than that which is currently recommended for plasma modeling. The complexity of the atomic structure of the open- 4 f system under study makes the theoretical calculations extremely demanding. Nevertheless, the results of the present Breit-Wigner partitioned dielectronic recombination calculations agree reasonably well with the experimental findings. This also gives confidence in the ability of the theory to generate sufficiently accurate atomic data for the plasma modeling of other complex ions.

We have measured dielectronic recombination (DR) for Fe¹²⁺ forming Fe¹¹⁺ using the heavy ion storage ring TSR located at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany. Using our results, we have calculated a plasma rate coefficient from these data that can be used for modeling astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. For the low temperatures characteristic of photoionized plasmas, the experimentally derived rate coefficient is orders of magnitude larger than the previously recommended atomic data. The existing atomic data were also about 40% smaller than our measurements at temperatures relevant for collisionally ionized plasmas. Recent state-of-the-art theory has difficulty reproducing the detailed energy dependence of the DR spectrum. However, for the Maxwellian plasma rate coefficient, recent theoretical results agree with our measurements to within about 30% for both photoionized and collisionally ionized plasmas.

Rate coefficients for photorecombination (PR) and cross sections for electron-impact ionization (EII) of Fe 14 + , forming Fe 13 + and Fe 15 + , respectively, have been measured by employing the electron-ion merged-beams technique at a heavy-ion storage ring. Rate coefficients for PR and EII of Fe 14 + ions in a plasma are derived from the experimental measurements. Simple parametrizations of the experimentally derived plasma rate coefficients are provided for use in the modeling of photoionized and collisionally ionized plasmas. In the temperature ranges where Fe 14 + is expected to form in such plasmas, the latest theoretical rate coefficients of Altun et al. [Astron. Astrophys. 474, 1051 (2007)] for PR and of Dere [Astron. Astrophys. 466, 771 (2007)] for EII agree with the experimental results to within the experimental uncertainties. Common features in the PR and EII resonance structures are identified and discussed.

Experimental cross-section data are presented as online data tables for electron impact single ionization of Mg7+ forming Mg8+.

We have measured electron impact ionization from the ground state of Fe9 + and Fe10 + over the relative electron-ion collision energy ranges 200-1900 eV and 250-1800 eV, respectively. The ions were confined in an ion storage ring long enough for essentially all metastable levels to radiatively relax to the ground state. For single ionization, we find a number of discrepancies between the existing theoretical cross sections and our results. The calculations appear to neglect some excitation-autoionization (EA) channels, particularly from n = 3 to n' excitations, which are important near threshold, and those from n = 2 → 3 excitations, which contribute at about 650 eV. Conversely, at higher energies the calculations appear to overestimate the importance of EA channels due to excitation into levels where n ≥ 4. The resulting experimental rate coefficients agree with the most recent theory for Fe9 + to within 16% and for Fe10 + to within 19% at temperatures where these ions are predicted to form in collisional ionization equilibrium. We have also measured double ionization of Fe9 + forming Fe11 + in the energy range 450-3000 eV and found that although there is an appreciable cross section for direct double ionization, the dominant mechanism appears to be through direct ionization of an inner shell electron producing an excited state that subsequently stabilizes through autoionization.

Experimental cross-section data are presented as online data tables for electron impact single ionization of Fe12+ forming Fe13+ and electron impact double ionization of Fe12+ forming Fe14+.

The hyperfine-induced 2s 2p 3 P0→2s2 1 S0 transition rate in Be-like sulfur was measured by monitoring the decay of isotopically pure beams of 32S12+ and 33S12+ ions in a heavy-ion storage ring. Within the 4% experimental uncertainty the experimental value of 0.096(4) s−1 agrees with the most recent theoretical results of [ Cheng et al. Phys. Rev. A 77 052504 (2008)] and [ Andersson et al. Phys. Rev. A 79 032501 (2009)]. Repeated experiments with different magnetic fields in the storage-ring bending magnets demonstrate that artificial quenching of the 2s 2p 3 P0 state by these magnetic fields is negligible.

Experimental cross section data are presented as online data tables for electron impact single ionization of Fe11+ forming Fe12+ and electron impact double ionization of Fe11+ forming Fe13+.

The hyperfine induced 2s 2p 3P0 -> 2s2 1S0 transition rate in Be-like sulfur was measured by monitoring the decay of isotopically pure beams of 32-S12+ and 33-S12+ ions in a heavy-ion storage ring. Within the 4% experimental uncertainty the experimental value of 0.096(4)/s agrees with the most recent theoretical results of Cheng et al. [Phys. Rev. A 77, 052504 (2008)] and Andersson et al. [Phys. Rev. A 79, 032501 (2009)]. Repeated experiments with different magnetic fields in the storage-ring bending magnets demonstrate that artificial quenching of the 2s 2p 3P0 state by these magnetic fields is negligible., 11 pages, 7 figures, 5 tables

We report electron impact ionization cross section measurements for electron impact single ionization of Fe12 + forming Fe13 + and electron impact double ionization of Fe12 + forming Fe14 +. These are the first electron impact ionization data for any Si-like ion uncontaminated by an unknown metastable fraction. Recent distorted wave calculations agree with our single ionization results to within ~15%. Double ionization is dominated by inner shell ionization of a 2l electron resulting in autoionization of a second electron as the inner shell hole is filled.

Knowledge of the charge state distribution (CSD) of astrophysical plasmas is important for the interpretation of spectroscopic data. To accurately calculate CSDs, reliable rate coefficients are needed for dielectronic recombination (DR), which is the dominant electron-ion recombination mechanism for most ions, and for electron impact ionization (EII). We are carrying out DR and EII measurements of astrophysically important ions using the TSR storage ring at the Max-Plank-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany. Storage ring measurements are largely free of the metastable contamination found in other experimental geometries, resulting in more unambiguous DR and EII reaction rate measurements. The measured data can be used in plasma modelling as well as for benchmarking theoretical atomic calculations.

We report electron impact ionization cross section measurements for Mg7+ forming Mg8+ at center of mass energies from approximately 200 eV to 2000 eV. The experimental work was performed using the heavy-ion storage ring TSR located at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik in Heidelberg, Germany. We find good agreement with distorted wave calculations using both the GIPPER code of the Los Alamos Atomic Physics Code suite and using the Flexible Atomic Code.

The photorecombination rate coefficients of potassium-like Fe VIII ions forming calcium-like Fe VII and of argon-like Fe IX forming potassium-like Fe VIII were measured by employing the merged electron-ion beams method at the Heidelberg heavy-ion storage-ring TSR. New theoretical calculations with the AUTOSTRUCTURE code were carried out for dielectronic recombination (DR) and trielectronic recombination (TR) for both ions. We compare these experimental and theoretical results and also compare with previously recommended rate coefficients. The DR and TR resonances were experimentally investigated in the electron-ion collision energy ranges 0-120 eV and 0-151 eV for Fe VIII and Fe IX. Experimentally derived Fe VIII and Fe IX DR + TR plasma rate coefficients are provided in the temperature range kBT=0.2 to 1000eV. Their uncertainties amount to ±26% and ±35% at a 90% confidence level for Fe VIII and Fe IX, respectively.

Recent spectroscopic models of active galactic nuclei have indicated that the recommended electron-ion recombination rate coefficients for iron ions with partially filled Mshells are incorrect in the temperature range where these ions form in photoionized plasmas. We have investigated this experimentally for Fe7+ forming Fe6+, Fe8+ forming Fe7+, and Fe13+ forming Fe12+. The recombination rate coefficient was measured employing the electron-ion merged beams method at the Heidelberg heavy-ion storage-ring TSR. The measured energy range encompassed at least all dielectronic recombination (DR) resonances associated with core excitations within the M-shell of the parent ions. Already in our first measurement, that is for Fe13+, we find unusually strong DR resonances at low electron-ion collision energies leading to low temperature plasma DR rate coefficients orders of magnitude larger than the recommended rate coefficient

The hyperfine induced 2s 2p 3P0 > 2s2 1S0 transition rate AHFI in berylliumlike 47Ti18+ was measured. Resonant electron-ion recombination in a heavy-ion storage ring was employed to monitor the time dependent population of the 3P0 state. The experimental value AHFI=0.56(3)/s is almost 60% larger than theoretically predicted., 4 pages. 3 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters

We have measured resonance strengths and energies for dielectronic recombination (DR) of beryllium-like Fe XXIII forming boron-like Fe XXII via N = 2 → N' = 2 and N = 2 → N' = 3 core excitations. All measurements were carried out using the heavy-ion Test Storage Ring at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics (MPI-K) in Heidelberg, Germany. We have also calculated these resonance strengths and energies using three independent, perturbative, state-of-the-art theoretical techniques: the multiconfiguration Breit-Pauli (MCBP) method, the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) method, and the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC). Overall reasonable agreement is found between our experimental results and these theoretical calculations. We have used our measurements to produce a Maxwellian-averaged DR rate coefficient for Fe XXIII. Our experimentally derived rate coefficient is estimated to be accurate to better that ≈20%. At temperatures where Fe XXIII is predicted to form in both photoionized and electron-ionized gas, we find mixed agreement between our experimental rate coefficient and previously published rate coefficients. We find good agreement at these temperatures between the experimentally derived rate coefficient and our MCBP, MCDF, and FAC results.

We have measured dielectronic recombination (DR) resonance strengths and energies for carbon-like Fe XXI forming Fe XX and for boron-like Fe XXII forming Fe XXI via N = 2 → N' = 2 core excitations. All measurements were carried out using the heavy-ion Test Storage Ring at the Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany. We have also calculated these resonance strengths and energies using three independent, state-of-the-art perturbative techniques: a multiconfiguration Breit-Pauli (MCBP) method using the code AUTOSTRUCTURE, a multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) method, and a relativistic configuration interaction method using the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC). Overall, reasonable agreement is found between our experimental results and our theoretical calculations. The most notable discrepancies tend to occur for relative collision energies ≲ 3 eV. We have used our measured 2 → 2 results to produce Maxwellian-averaged rate coefficients for Fe XXI and Fe XXII. Our experimentally derived rate coefficients are estimated to be accurate to better than ≈20% both for Fe XXI at kBTe > 0.5 eV and for Fe XXII at kBTe >0.001 eV. For these results, we provide fits that are accurate to better than 0.5% for Fe XXI at 0.001 eV ≤ kBTe ≤ 10,000 eV and for Fe XXII at 0.02 eV ≲ kBTe ≤ 10,000 eV. Our fitted rate coefficients are suitable for ionization balance calculations involving Fe XXI and Fe XXII in photoionized plasmas. Previous published Burgess formula and LS-coupling calculations are in poor agreement with our experimentally derived rate coefficients. None of these published calculations reliably reproduce the magnitude or temperature dependence of our experimental results. Our previously published Fe XXI MCDF results are in good agreement with our experimental results for kBTe ≳ 0.07 eV. For both ions in this temperature range our new MCBP, MCDF, and FAC results are in excellent agreement with our experimentally derived rate coefficient.

The basic approach for measuring electron-ion recombination rate coefficients in merged-beams electron-ion collision experiments at heavy-ion storage rings is outlined. As an example experimental results for the low temperature recombination of C IV ions are compared with the recommended theoretical rate coefficient by Mazzotta et al. The latter deviates by factors of up to 5 from the experimental one., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Workshop on Stellar Coronae in the Chandra and XMM-Newton era, June 2001, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, for a recent theoretical treatment of C IV DR see Pradhan and al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 183201 (2001)

Low temperature dielectronic recombination (DR) is the dominant recombination mechanism for most ions in X-ray photoionized cosmic plasmas. Reliably modeling and interpreting spectra from these plasmas requires accurate low temperature DR rate coefficients. Of particular importance are the DR rate coefficients for the iron L-shell ions (Fe XVII -Fe XXIV). These ions are predicted to play an important role in determining the thermal structure and line emission of X-ray photoionized plasmas, which form in the media surrounding accretion powered sources such as X-ray binaries (XRBs), active galactic nuclei (AGN), and cataclysmic variables (Savin et al. 2000). The need for reliable DR data of iron L-shell ions has become particularly urgent after the launches of Chandra and XMM-Newton. These satellites are now providing high-resolution X-ray spectra from a wide range of X-ray photoionized sources. Interpreting the spectra from these sources requires reliable DR rate coefficients. However, at the temperatures relevant for X-ray photoionized plasmas, existing theoretical DR rate coefficients can differ from one another by factors of two to orders of magnitudes. To address the need for accurate low temperature DR rate coefficients of the iron L-shell ions, we have initiated a program of measurements for DR via 2 to 2 core excitations using the heavy-ion Test Storage Ring located at the Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany. To date measurements have been carried out for Fe XVIII (Savin et al. 1997, 1999), Fe XIX (Savin et al. 1999), Fe XX (Savin et al. 2002), Fe XXI, Fe XXII, and Fe XXIV. Here we review our work to date, discuss the implications of our results, and map out our future research efforts. This work was supported in part by NASA SARA Program grant NAG5-5261, the German Federal Minister for Education and Research (BMBF), and the German Research Council (DFG).

We have measured the resonance strengths and energies for dielectronic recombination (DR) of Fe XX forming Fe XIX via N = 2 → N' = 2 (ΔN = 0) core excitations. We have also calculated the DR resonance strengths and energies using the AUTOSTRUCTURE, Hebrew University Lawrence Livermore Atomic Code (HULLAC), Multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock (MCDF), and R-matrix methods, four different state-of-the-art theoretical techniques. On average the theoretical resonance strengths agree to within ≲10% with experiment. The AUTOSTRUCTURE, MCDF, and R-matrix results are in better agreement with experiment than are the HULLAC results. However, in all cases the 1 σ standard deviation for the ratios of the theoretical-to-experimental resonance strengths is ≳30%, which is significantly larger than the estimated relative experimental uncertainty of ≲10%. This suggests that similar errors exist in the calculated level populations and line emission spectrum of the recombined ion. We confirm that theoretical methods based on inverse-photoionization calculations (e.g., undamped R-matrix methods) will severely overestimate the strength of the DR process unless they include the effects of radiation damping. We also find that the coupling between the DR and radiative recombination (RR) channels is small. Below 2 eV the theoretical resonance energies can be up to ≈30% larger than experiment. This is larger than the estimated uncertainty in the experimental energy scale (≲0.5% below ≈25 eV and ≲0.2% for higher energies) and is attributed to uncertainties in the calculations. These discrepancies makes DR of Fe XX an excellent case for testing atomic structure calculations of ions with partially filled shells. Above 2 eV, agreement between the theoretical and measured energies improves dramatically with the AUTOSTRUCTURE and MCDF results falling within 2% of experiment, the R-matrix results within 3%, and HULLAC within 5%. Agreement for all four calculations improves as the resonance energy increases. We have used our experimental and theoretical results to produce Maxwellian-averaged rate coefficients for ΔN = 0 DR of Fe XX. For kBTe ≳ 1 eV, which includes the predicted formation temperatures for Fe XX in an optically thin, low-density photoionized plasma with cosmic abundances, the experimental and theoretical results agree to better than ≈15%. This is within the total estimated experimental uncertainty limits of ≲20%. Agreement below ≈1 eV is difficult to quantify due to current theoretical and experimental limitations. Agreement with previously published LS-coupling rate coefficients is poor, particularly for kBTe ≲ 80 eV. This is attributed to errors in the resonance energies of these calculations as well as the omission of DR via 2p1/2 → 2p3/2 core excitations. We have also used our R-matrix results, topped off using AUTOSTRUCTURE for RR into J ≥ 25 levels, to calculate the rate coefficient for RR of Fe XX. Our RR results are in good agreement with previously published calculations. We find that for temperatures as low as kBTe ≈ 10-3 eV, DR still dominates over RR for this system.

Electron-ion recombination of completely stripped Bi83+ was investigated at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) of the GSI in Darmstadt. It was the first experiment of this kind with a bare ion heavier than argon. Absolute recombination rate coefficients have been measured for relative energies between ions and electrons from 0 up to about 125 eV. In the energy range from 15 meV to 125 eV a very good agreement is found between the experimental result and theory for radiative recombination (RR). However, below 15 meV the experimental rate increasingly exceeds the RR calculation and at Erel = 0 eV it is a factor of 5.2 above the expected value. For further investigation of this enhancement phenomenon the electron density in the interaction region was set to 1.6E6/cm3, 3.2E6/cm3 and 4.7E6/cm3. This variation had no significant influence on the recombination rate. An additional variation of the magnetic guiding field of the electrons from 70 mT to 150 mT in steps of 1 mT resulted in periodic oscillations of the rate which are accompanied by considerable changes of the transverse electron temperature., Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. A, see also http://www.gsi.de/ap/ and http://www.strz.uni-giessen.de/~k3

At the low electron temperatures existing in photoionized gases with cosmic abundances, dielectronic recombination (DR) proceeds primarily via nlj→nl`j` excitations of core electrons (Δn=0 DR). At these temperatures, the dominant DR channel often involves 2p1/2→2p3/2 fine-structure core excitations, which are not included in LS-coupling calculations or the Burgess formula. Using the heavy-ion storage ring at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik in Heidelberg, Germany, we have verified experimentally for Fe XVIII that DR proceeding via this channel can be significant in relation to other recombination rates, especially at the low temperatures characteristic of photoionized gases. At temperatures in photoionized gases near where Fe XVIII peaks in fractional abundance, our measured Fe XVIII to Fe XVII Δn=0 DR rate coefficient is a factor of ~2 larger than predicted by existing theoretical calculations. We provide a fit to our measured rate coefficient for ionization equilibrium models. We have carried out new fully relativistic calculations using intermediate coupling, which include the 2p1/2→2p3/2 channel and agree to within ~30% with our measurements. DR via the 2p1/2→2p3/2 channel may also have spectroscopic implications, providing unique spectral signatures at soft X-ray wavelengths that could provide good electron temperature diagnostics.