Possible Density Determination of the Nebular Component of Cataclysmic Variables with the N III 4641/4635 Line Ratio

Abstract

The dependence of the N III 4641/4635 line ratio on the electron density is presented. It is shown that this ratio may be an important diagnostic tool in cataclysmic variables.Pérez-Tijerina, Bohigas & Machorro (2001) used the Chianti code and database developed by the U.S. Nautical Observatory (Landi, 200) in order to find density and temperature sensitive line ratios in the conditions occuring in plasmas produced in pulsed laser deposition experiments for thin film deposition, i.e., around 1018 cm 3 and 104 K. Level populations are determined considering only radiative decay and collisional excitation and de-excitation.