Abstract

Modern spectral synthesis codes need the thermally averaged free–free Gaunt factor defined over a very wide range of parameter space in order to produce an accurate prediction for the spectrum emitted by an ionized plasma. Until now no set of data exists that would meet this need in a fully satisfactory way. We have therefore undertaken to produce a table of very accurate non-relativistic Gaunt factors over a much wider range of parameters than has ever been produced before. We first produced a table of non-averaged Gaunt factors, covering the parameter space 10log ϵi = −20 to +10 and 10log w = −30 to +25. We then continued to produce a table of thermally averaged Gaunt factors covering the parameter space 10log γ2 = −6 to +10 and 10log u = −16 to +13. Finally, we produced a table of the frequency integrated Gaunt factor covering the parameter space 10log γ2 = −6 to +10. All the data presented in this paper are available online.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-11-2014

Notes/Citation Information

Published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 444, no. 1, p. 420-428.

This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ©: 2014 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stu1438

Funding Information

PvH acknowledges support from the Belgian Science Policy Office through the ESA PRODEX program. GJF acknowledges support by NSF (1108928, 1109061, and 1412155), NASA (10-ATP10-0053, 10-ADAP10-0073, NNX12AH73G, and ATP13-0153), and STScI (HST-AR-13245, GO-12560, HST-GO-12309, and GO-13310.002-A).

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Fig. 1 High-Resolution

MNRAS 20142014 Oct 444(1) 420-8, Figure 1.ppt (289 kB)
Fig. 1 Powerpoint

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Fig. 2 High-Resolution

MNRAS 20142014 Oct 444(1) 420-8, Figure 2.ppt (252 kB)
Fig. 2 Powerpoint

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Fig. 3 High-Resolution

MNRAS 20142014 Oct 444(1) 420-8, Figure 3.ppt (127 kB)
Fig. 3 Powerpoint

Table 1.GIF (45 kB)
Table 1

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Table 2

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Table 3

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Table 4

Table 5.GIF (34 kB)
Table 5

table.zip (210 kB)
Data Supplement

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