What the study found
The study presents new atomic data for tellurium ions and uses them in spectral modelling of kilonovae, including AT2017gfo, a kilonova event. It also examines whether Te iv, meaning tellurium with a +3 charge, could contribute to the 1.08 micrometer emission feature seen in AT2017gfo.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say kilonova spectral modelling needs large amounts of collisional excitation and photoionization data for lowly ionized heavy elements, and that much of the available data is currently based on approximate hydrogenic results or semi-empirical formulae. The study suggests the new tellurium data may help improve this modelling.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used the Multi-Configuration-Dirac–Hartree–Fock method to build model atomic structures and radiative rates. They then applied the R-matrix method to calculate electron-impact excitation and photoionization cross-sections for tellurium ions, and used the resulting rates in a collisional-radiative model to generate synthetic spectra for comparison with observations.
What worked and what didn't
The abstract states that atomic data were produced for tellurium ions, including excitation and photoionization information for Te i through Te iv, and additional radiative and thermal collision data for Te iv and Te v. It also says the authors investigated whether Te iv could contribute to the 1.08 micrometer emission feature alongside the established Sr ii P-Cygni feature, but it does not state the outcome of that investigation in the abstract.
What to keep in mind
The available summary does not give detailed numerical results or a clear conclusion about the Te iv contribution to the 1.08 micrometer feature. It also does not describe uncertainties, limitations, or how well the synthetic spectra matched the observations.
Key points
- New atomic data were computed for tellurium ions using the R-matrix method.
- The work includes electron-impact excitation and photoionization data for Te i through Te iv.
- Radiative and thermal collision data were also produced for Te iv and Te v.
- The data were used in a collisional-radiative model to make synthetic spectra for kilonovae.
- The authors investigated whether Te iv could contribute to the 1.08 micrometer feature in AT2017gfo.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Tellurium atomic data support kilonova spectral modelling
- Authors:
- Leo Patrick Mulholland, C A Ramsbottom, C P Ballance, Albert Sneppen, Stuart Sim
- Institutions:
- DAWN Center for Independent Living, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's University Belfast, University of Copenhagen
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-05
- OpenAlex record:
- View
- Image credit:
- McZusatz (talk), Wikimedia Commons, CC0
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