Creating a CLOUDY Compatible Database with CHIANTI version 10 Data

TL;DR

This paper presents a script to convert CHIANTI version 10.0.1 data into a compatible format for CLOUDY, enabling continued use of existing models despite database format changes, and discusses the impact of updated collision data on spectral calculations.

Contribution

Developed a conversion script for CHIANTI v10.0.1 to maintain CLOUDY compatibility and analyzed the effects of updated collision data on spectral line predictions.

Findings

Successfully converted CHIANTI v10.0.1 data for CLOUDY compatibility.

Identified significant changes in spectral line intensities due to updated collision data.

Facilitated continued use of CLOUDY with newer atomic data formats.

Abstract

Atomic and molecular data are required to conduct detailed calculations of microphysical processes performed by CLOUDY to predict the spectra of a theoretical model. One of the three databases CLOUDY currently utilizes is CHIANTI version 7.1. CHIANTI version 10.0.1 is available, but its format has changed. CLOUDY is incompatible with the newer version. We have developed a script to convert the version 10.0.1 database into its version 7.1 format so that CLOUDY does not have to change every time there is a new CHIANTI version with an evolved format. This study outlines the steps taken by the script for this version format change. We have also found a modest number of significant changes to spectral line intensities/luminosities calculated by CLOUDY with the adoption of CHIANTI version 10.0.1. These changes are a result of improvements to collision strength data.