Modeling non-local thermodynamic equilibrium plasma using the Flexible Atomic Code data

Abstract

Abstract We present a new code, RCF (“Radiative–Collisional code based on FAC”), which is used to simulate steady-state plasmas under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium condition, especially photoinization-dominated plasmas. RCF takes almost all of the radiative and collisional atomic processes into a rate equation to interpret the plasmas systematically. The Flexible Atomic Code (FAC) supplies all the atomic data needed for RCF, which insures calculating completeness and consistency of atomic data. With four input parameters relating to the radiation source and target plasma, RCF calculates the population of levels and charge states, as well as potential emission spectrum. In a preliminary application, RCF successfully reproduced the results of a photoionization experiment with reliable atomic data. The effects of the most important atomic processes on the charge state distribution are also discussed.