Abstract. In this work we present ABAKO, a new computational code based on analytical models and developed to study the population kinetics of steady-state plasmas. The tool ABAKO can be applied to low-to-high Z ions under a wide range of laboratory plasma conditions: coronal, LTE or NLTE, optically thin or thick plasmas. Autoionizing states are explicitly included. The results obtained with ABAKO are competitive with more elaborated, but also time-consuming codes. Our code provides satisfactory charge state distributions (CSD) and reasonable estimations of spectroscopic observables of high-Z plasmas, as it can be seen through comparison with experimental data.
IntroductionEfforts continue to be made in the modeling of plasmas in non local-thermodynamic-equilibrium (NLTE). Many systematic studies have been made to assess the accuracy of such modeling attempts and detect areas needing improvements. Recent NLTE workshops [1,2] have focused on comparisons for specific cases between collisional-radiative (CR) codes developed by diverse research groups. On the other hand, the ability to reproduce experimental data is the most valuable test for any CR model, but clean experiments are very difficult to perform and there exist only few measurements that could be used as benchmark cases for the validation of computational codes. In summary, further investigation into population kinetics of NLTE plasmas is necessary and any progress for providing a better understanding of the underlying physics will be welcomed.In this work we present ABAKO, Analytical expressions BAsed Kinetics cOde, a new CR model to determine the population distribution of atomic levels and radiative properties of steady-state plasmas. The versatility is a remarkable characteristic in ABAKO. It can be applied to low-to-high Z ions under a wide range of laboratory plasma conditions: coronal, LTE or NLTE, optically thin or thick plasmas. On the other hand, a special care was taken during the ABAKO development to achieve an optimal equilibrium between accuracy and computational cost. ABAKO assembles a set of simple analytical models which yield a substantial saving of computational requirements, but providing satisfactory results in relation to those ones obtained from more sophisticated codes and experimental data.