Collaborative Research: Electron Impact Ionization and Recombination Properties of Heavy elements in Kilonovae.

电子冲击电离（EII）和介电子复合（DR）是控制天体物理等离子体电离平衡的关键过程。本研究项目将精确计算中子星合并（nsm）中产生的重元素的EII和DR截面。这些计算将使天文学家能够准确地解释千新星的光谱，千新星是由nsm喷射出的物质产生的瞬态电磁辐射，从而提高我们对宇宙中最重元素产生地点的理解。该项目将培养一名掌握先进原子物理方法的研究生，为本科生提供研究机会，并让高中生接触天文学研究。使用现代电子结构代码，研究人员将计算并基准测试nsm中快中子捕获过程产生的重要元素离子的EII和DR截面。广泛的计算将得出与千新星喷出物中的热（低能）和非热（高能）电子成分相一致的温度下的DR速率系数。EII横截面将允许研究人员探索其他电离机制的贡献，这些机制在千新星发射模型中缺失。这个项目推进了“宇宙大构想之窗”的目标。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Electron impact ionization (EII) and dielectronic recombination (DR) are key processes that govern the ionization balance of astrophysical plasmas. This research project will calculate accurate EII and DR cross sections for heavy elements produced in neutron star mergers (NSMs). These calculations will allow astronomers to accurately interpret the spectra of kilonovae, the transient electromagnetic emission from material ejected by NSMs, thus advancing our understanding of the production sites of the heaviest elements in the universe. The project will train a graduate student in advanced atomic physics methods, provide research opportunities to undergraduate students, and expose high school students to astronomical research. Using modern electronic structure codes, the investigators will calculate and benchmark EII and DR cross sections for ions of important elements produced by the rapid neutron capture process in NSMs. Extensive calculations will yield DR rate coefficients for temperatures consistent with the thermal (low energy) and non-thermal (high energy) electron components in kilonova ejecta. The EII cross sections will allow the investigators to explore the contributions of other ionization mechanisms that are missing from models of kilonova emission. This project advances the goals of the Windows on the Universe Big Idea.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.