Stark Broadening and White Dwarfs

TL;DR

This paper reviews the application of Stark broadening in white dwarf atmospheres, emphasizing the importance of the STARK-B database and VAMDC for spectral analysis and data sharing in astrophysics.

Contribution

It highlights the significance of Stark broadening in white dwarf spectra and introduces the STARK-B database and VAMDC as key resources for researchers.

Findings

Stark broadening is the dominant line broadening mechanism in many white dwarf atmospheres.

The STARK-B database provides essential Stark broadening parameters for spectral analysis.

Development of VAMDC facilitates collective data sharing and research in atomic and molecular physics.

Abstract

White dwarf and pre-white dwarf atmospheres are one of the best examples for the application of Stark broadening research results in astrophysics, due to plasma conditions very favorable for this line broadening mechanism. For example in hot hydrogen-deficient (pre-) white dwarf stars Teff = 75 000 K - 180 000 K and log g = 5.5-8 [cgs]. Even for much cooler DA and DB white dwarfs with typical effective temperatures of 10 000 K - 20 000 K, Stark broadening is usually the dominant broadening mechanism. In this review, Stark broadening in white dwarf spectra is considered and the attention is drawn to the STARK-B database (http://stark-b.obspm.fr/), containing Stark broadening parameters needed for white dwarf spectra analysis and synthesis, as well as to the new search facilities which will provide the collective effort to develop Virtual Atomic and Molecular Data Center (VAMDC - http://vamdc.org/).