Partial Paschen-Back splitting of SiII and SiIII lines in magnetic CP stars

TL;DR

This study investigates the differences between Zeeman and partial Paschen-Back effects in modeling SiII and SiIII spectral lines in magnetic stars, highlighting the importance of using the correct theory for high-precision magnetic spectrum analysis.

Contribution

It demonstrates the necessity of applying the partial Paschen-Back effect instead of Zeeman splitting for accurate spectral line modeling in magnetic stars with fields exceeding 10kG.

Findings

PPB effect significantly alters spectral line profiles at high magnetic fields.

Zeeman approximation introduces errors in spectral synthesis for Bp>10kG.

The SiII 5041A line is notably affected by a ghost line contribution.

Abstract

Modelling of the spectra of magnetic A and B main sequence stars is generally done assuming that all the lines are split by the magnetic field according to the Zeeman effect. However, a number of prominent spectral lines are produced by closely spaced doublets or triplets. Such lines should be treated using the theory of the partial Paschen-Back (PPB) effect. Depending on the strength and orientation of magnetic field, the PPB effect can result in the Stokes IV profiles of a spectral line that differ significantly from those predicted by the Zeeman effect theory. It is important to understand the size and types of errors that are introduced into magnetic spectrum synthesis by treating such lines with the usual Zeeman splitting theory rather than using the correct theoretical treatment of line splitting. To estimate the error introduced by the use of the Zeeman approximation, numerical simulations have been performed for spectral lines of the element silicon, for which a number of important lines are actually in the PPB regime, assuming an oblique rotator model, for various silicon abundances and Vsini values. A comparative analysis of the Stokes IV profiles calculated assuming the PPB and Zeeman splitting has been carried out for a number of both strong and weak SiII and SiIII lines. The analysis indicates that for high precision studies of some spectral lines the PPB approach should be used if the field strength at the magnetic poles is Bp>10kG. In the case of the SiII line 5041A, the difference between the two simulated profiles is caused by a significant contribution from a so called "ghost" line.