Core-polarization-corrected multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock oscillator strengths and excitation energies for the 5s2 1S0 – 5s5p 3P1, 1P1 transitions in Sr I and Y II spectra

Abstract

Energies and oscillator strengths for the spin-allowed 5s2 1S0 – 5s5p 1P1 and spin-forbidden 5s2 1S0 – 5s5p 3P1 transitions in neutral strontium and singly ionized yttrium are determined in relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock computations where modest relativistic configuration mixing to represent intravalence correlation is combined with a polarization model to account for valence–core electron correlation. It is demonstrated, by comparison of the results corrected for electron correlation with those obtained from relativistic intermediate coupling Dirac–Fock calculations, that both intravalence and core–valence correlation are important for achieving good agreement with experiment. However, for neutral strontium it is the intravalence correlation that seems to be more important whereas for the isoelectronic singly ionized yttrium the core-valence correlation, as represented by the core-polarization model, dominates. A delicate balance resulting from the partial collapse of the 4d orbital in Y+ may be a reason for the greater sensitivity to core polarization in this system.