He-like ions as practical astrophysical plasma diagnostics: From stellar coronae to active galactic nuclei

Details He-like ions as practical astrophysical plasma diagnostics: From stellar coronae to active galactic nuclei He-like ions as practical astrophysical plasma diagnostics: From stellar coronae to active galactic nuclei

2011-01-17

arxiv.org/abs/1101.3184v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

36 pages, 16 figures. Invited Review talk at the "High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy: past, present, and future" conference, U

Scientific paper

10.1007/s11214-010-9731-2

We review X-ray plasma diagnostics based on the line ratios of He-like ions. Triplet/singlet line intensities can be used to determine electronic temperature and density, and were first developed for the study of the solar corona. Since the launches of the X-ray satellites Chandra and XMM-Newton, these diagnostics have been extended and used (from CV to Si XIII) for a wide variety of astrophysical plasmas such as stellar coronae, supernova remnants, solar system objects, active galactic nuclei, and X-ray binaries. Moreover, the intensities of He-like ions can be used to determine the ionization process(es) at work, as well as the distance between the X-ray plasma and the UV emission source for example in hot stars. In the near future thanks to the next generation of X-ray satellites (e.g., Astro-H and IXO), higher-Z He-like lines (e.g., iron) will be resolved, allowing plasmas with higher temperatures and densities to be probed. Moreover, the so-called satellite lines that are formed closed to parent He-like lines, will provide additional valuable diagnostics to determine electronic temperature, ionic fraction, departure from ionization equilibrium and/or from Maxwellian electron distribution.

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