Virtual laboratory astrophysics : The STARK-B database

Abstract

Stark broadening theories and calculations have been exten- sively developed for about 50 years. The theory can now be considered as mature for many applications, especially for accurate spectroscopic diagnostics and modelling. This requires the knowledge of numerous collisional line profiles, especially for very low abundant atoms and ions which are used as probes for modern spectroscopic diagnostics in as- trophysics. Nowadays, the access to such data via an on line database becomes essential. STARK-B (http://stark-b.obspm.fr )i s a col- laborative project between the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade and the Laboratoire d'´ Etude du Rayonnement et de la matiere en Astrophysique (LERMA). It is a database of calculated widths and shifts of isolated lines of atoms and ions due to electron and ion col- lisions (impacts). It is devoted to modelling and spectroscopic diag- nostics of stellar atmospheres and envelopes, laboratory plasmas, laser equipments and technological plasmas. Hence, the domain of temper- atures and densities covered by the tables is wide and depends on the ionization degree of the considered ion. The STARK-B database is a part of VAMDC (Virtual Atomic and Molecular Data Centre, http:// www.vamdc.eu), which is an European Union funded collaboration be- tween groups involved in the generation and use of atomic and molec- ular data. VAMDC aims to build a secure, documented, flexible and interoperable e-science environment-based interface to existing atomic and molecular data.