Excitation and Recombination Data for Nd I-V with Applications to Kilonovae

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ID: 325383
2026
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Abstract
Abstract Neodymium (Nd), a key r-process element, significantly influences the opacity and emergent spectra of kilonovae resulting from neutron star mergers. We present new atomic data for the first five ionization stages of Neodymium, with emphasis on recombination rate coefficients and electron-impact excitation relevant to non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) modelling. Using the relativistic atomic structure code autostructure, we compute energy levels, radiative and dielectronic recombination rates using the isolated-resonance approximation, and excitation data for these ions. Excitation datasets are constructed using both direct (distorted-wave) and resonant excitation approaches, allowing a systematic assessment of the impact of resonance contributions on effective collision strengths. For the case of Nd ii, we compare collisional strengths with those produced by the Dirac Atomic R-matrix Codes (darc). These comparisons demonstrate the importance of resonance-mediated excitation, especially for low-charge ions where near-threshold resonances significantly enhance rates. In terms of recombination for higher ionization stages, dielectronic recombination (DR) is found to dominate over a wide temperature range, while radiative recombination (RR) is comparable with DR at low temperatures for near-neutral species. Our results highlight the pivotal role of non-LTE atomic physics in interpreting kilonovae observations and constraining nucleosynthesis yields. This work strengthens the atomic foundation necessary for linking observed electromagnetic signals to the physics of compact object mergers and heavy element formation.
Reference Key
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Authors N Ferguson, Leo Patrick Mulholland, M. McCann, C P Ballance, M G O’Mullane
Journal monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/mnras/stag1586
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stag1586
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