H to Zn Ionization Equilibrium for the Non-Maxwellian Electron kappa-distributions: Updated Calculations

TL;DR

This paper updates ionization equilibrium calculations for elements H to Zn under non-Maxwellian kappa-distributions, revealing significant effects on ionization rates and abundance peaks, with implications for solar physics.

Contribution

It provides new ionization equilibrium data for non-Maxwellian distributions, incorporating recent rate calculations and expanding the CHIANTI database.

Findings

Ionization and recombination rates are significantly affected by kappa-distributions.

Ion abundance peaks are widened and shifted in temperature compared to Maxwellian.

Large changes are observed for ions Fe VIII--XIV.

Abstract

New data for calculation of the ionization and recombination rates have have been published in the past few years. Most of these are included in CHIANTI database. We used these data to calculate collisional ionization and recombination rates for the non-Maxwellian kappa-distributions with an enhanced number of particles in the high-energy tail, which have been detected in the solar transition region and the solar wind. Ionization equilibria for elements H to Zn are derived. The kappa-distributions significantly influence both the ionization and recombination rates and widen the ion abundance peaks. In comparison with Maxwellian distribution, the ion abundance peaks can also be shifted to lower or higher temperatures. The updated ionization equilibrium calculations result in large changes for several ions, notably Fe VIII--XIV. The results are supplied in electronic form compatible with the CHIANTI database.