Line formation in solar granulation - II. The photospheric Fe abundance

The solar photospheric Fe abundance has been determined using realistic ab initio 3D, time-dependent, hydrodynamical model atmospheres. The study is b ased on the excellent agreement between the predicted and observed line pro files directly rather than equivalent widths, since the intrinsic Doppler b roadening from the convective motions and oscillations provide the necessar y non-thermal broadening. Thus, three of the four hotly debated parameters (equivalent widths, microturbulence and damping enhancement factors) in the center of the recent solar Fe abundance dispute regarding Fe I lines no lo nger enter the analysis, leaving the transition probabilities as the main u ncertainty. Both Fe I (using the samples of lines of both the Oxford and Ki el studies) and Fe II lines have been investigated, which give consistent r esults: log epsilon(Fe I) = 7.44 +/- 0.05 and lot; epsilon(Fe II) = 7.45 +/ - 0.10. Also the wings of strong Fe I lines return consistent abundances, l og epsilon(Fe II) = 7.42 +/- 0.03, but due to the uncertainties inherent in analyses of strong lines we give this determination lower weight than the results from weak and intermediate strong lines. In view of the recent slig ht downward revision of the meteoritic Fe abundance log epsilon(Fe) = 7.46 +/- 0.01, the agreement between the meteoritic and photospheric values is v ery good, thus appearingly settling the debate over the photospheric Fe abu ndance from Fe I lines.