THEORETICAL DIAGNOSTICS OF ULTRAVIOLET AND INFRARED SPECTRAL EMISSIONFROM BORON-LIKE IONS

Theoretical analysis of line intensities from transitions in boron-lik e ions, C II, N III, O IV, Ne VI, Mg VIII, Al IX, Si X, and S XII, is presented using new atomic data. Possible temperature and density diag onostics are investigated, Certain line ratios of UV lines are shown t o be especially sensitive to either the electron temperature or the el ectron density and should be useful in the determination of these para meters; selected examples are given. Highly charged B-like ions should serve as effective coolants through electron impact excitation of the ground state fine-structure transition P-2(1/2)o - P-2(3/2)o observed in the infrared. The IR line is expected to be strong in a variety of sources such as H II regions, AGN's and QSO's. Cooling rates for the IR transitions are tabulated as functions of temperature and density a nd applications to the abundance determination of elements are discuss ed. Laser action due to population inversion in the metastable P-2(3/2 )o level in B-like C, N, O, Ne and Mg ions is also discussed.