Calculation of the ionization state for LTE plasmas using a new relativistic-screened hydrogenic model based on analytical potentials

Abstract

In this work, the Saha equation is solved using atomic data provided by means of a new relativistic-screened hydrogenic model based on analytical potentials to calculate the ionization state and ion abundance for LTE iron plasmas. The plasma effects on the atomic structure are taken into account by including the classical continuum lowering correction of Stewart and Pyatt. For high density, the Saha equation is modified to consider the degeneration of free electrons using the Fermi–Dirac statistics instead of the Maxwellian distribution commonly used. The results are compared with more sophisticated self-consistent codes.