New Fe II energy levels from stellar spectra

TL;DR

This study identified 109 new Fe II energy levels using stellar spectra, significantly improving line identification in stellar spectra and enhancing atomic data for astrophysical research.

Contribution

The paper reports the discovery of 109 new Fe II energy levels, expanding the atomic data and enabling better spectral line identification in stellar spectra.

Findings

Identified 109 new Fe II energy levels.

Improved identification of over 50% of unknown lines in HR 6000.

Produced 18000 spectral lines from new energy levels.

Abstract

The spectra of B-type and early A-type stars show numerous unidentified lines in the whole optical range, especially in the 5100 - 5400 A interval. Because Fe II transitions to high energy levels should be observed in this region, we used semiempirical predicted wavelengths and gf-values of Fe II to identify unknown lines. Semiempirical line data for Fe II computed by Kurucz are used to synthesize the spectrum of the slow-rotating, Fe-overabundant CP star HR 6000. We determined a total of 109 new 4f levels for Fe II with energies ranging from 122324 cm^-1 to 128110 cm^-1. They belong to the Fe II subconfigurations 3d^6(^3P)4f (10 levels), 3d^6(^3H)4f (36 levels), 3d^6(^3F)4f (37 levels), and 3d^6(^3G)4f (26 levels). We also found 14 even levels from 4d (3 levels), 5d (7 levels), and 6d (4 levels) configurations. The new levels have allowed us to identify more than 50% of the previously unidentified lines of HR 6000 in the wavelength region 3800-8000 A. Tables listing the new energy levels are given in the paper; tables listing the spectral lines with loggf>/=-1.5 that are transitions to the 4f energy levels are given in the Online Material. These new levels produce 18000 lines throughout the spectrum from the ultraviolet to the infrared.