The impact of recent advances in laboratory astrophysics on our understanding of the cosmos

Abstract

Abstract. An emerging theme in modern astrophysics is the connection between astronomical observations and the underlying physical phenomena that drive our cosmos. Both the mechanisms responsible for the observed astrophysical phenomena and the tools used to probe such phenomena -the radiation and particle spectra we observe -have their roots in atomic, molecular, condensed matter, plasma, nuclear and particle physics. Chemistry is implicitly included in both molecular and condensed matter physics. This connection is the theme of the present report, which provides a broad, though non-exhaustive, overview of progress in our understanding of the cosmos resulting from recent theoretical and experimental advances in what is commonly called laboratory astrophysics. This work, carried out by a diverse community of laboratory astrophysicists, is increasingly important as astrophysics transitions into an era of precise measurement and high fidelity modeling.

Detailed Opacity Calculations for Astrophysical Applications

“…They are also present in dust of protoplanetary and debris disks where they help regulating thermal exchanges. In circumstellar environments, evidence for crystalline silicates is found both around AGB stars and in disks around Ae/Be stars, T Tauri stars and brown dwarfs [66]. They are also found in cometary environments, in asteroid spectra and in interplanetary dust particles.…”

“…[65]. Silicates are an important component of cosmic matter [66]. They form in the winds of AGB (asymptotic giant branch) stars.…”

Mean energy of water molecule ionization by electron impact

“…is interesting for a wide range of physical and applied problems in astrophysics [1,2], medicine and biology [3][4][5], plasma physics [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13], and other branches of science and technology.…”

Electron–ion Recombination Rate Coefficients for C Ii Forming C I

“…These lines can be used to determine the elemental abundances, plasma properties, chemical evolution of the universe, and to understand the stellar and galactic composition (Bohringer & Werner 2010). Recently, a comprehensive review of laboratory astrophysics was given by Savin et al (2012). Carbon is an astrophysically abundant element (Shil et al 2002).…”