Theoretical emission line ratios for [Fe III] and [Fe VII] applicable to the optical and infrared spectra of gaseous nebulae

F P Keenan; L H Aller; R S Ryans; S Hyung

doi:10.1073/pnas.151263098

Theoretical emission line ratios for [Fe III] and [Fe VII] applicable to the optical and infrared spectra of gaseous nebulae

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Aug 14;98(17):9476-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.151263098. Epub 2001 Aug 7.

Authors

F P Keenan¹, L H Aller, R S Ryans, S Hyung

Affiliation

¹ Department of Pure and Applied Physics, The Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland. f.keenan@qub.ac.uk

Abstract

Recent calculations of electron impact excitation rates and Einstein A-coefficients for transitions among the 3d(6) levels of Fe III and among the 3d(2) levels of Fe VII are used to derive theoretical emission line ratios applicable to the optical and infrared spectra of gaseous nebulae. Results for [Fe III] are generated for electron temperatures T(e) = 7,000-20,000 K and densities N(e) = 10(2)-10(8) cm(-3), whereas those for [Fe VII] are provided for T(e) = 10,000-30,000 K and N(e) = 10(2)-10(8) cm(-3). The theoretical line ratios are significantly different in some instances from earlier calculations and resolve discrepancies between theory and observation found for the planetary nebulae IC 4997 and NGC 7027.