Rosseland Mean Research Articles

ÆSOPUS 2.1: Low-temperature Opacities Extended to High Pressure

Abstract We address the critical need for accurate Rosseland mean gas opacities in high-pressure environments, spanning temperatures from 100 K to 32,000 K. Current opacity tables from Wichita State University and ÆSOPUS 2.0 are limited to log ( R ) ≤ 1 , where R = ρ T 6 − 3 in units of g cm − 3 ( 10 6 K ) − 3 . This is insufficient for modeling very low-mass stars, brown dwarfs, and planets with atmospheres exhibiting higher densities and pressures ( log ( R ) > 1 ). Leveraging extensive databases such as ExoMol, ExoMolOP, MoLLIST, and HITEMP, we focus on expanding the ÆSOPUS opacity calculations to cover a broad range of pressure and density conditions ( − 8 ≤ log ( R ) ≤ + 6 ). We incorporate the thermal Doppler mechanism and microturbulence velocity. Pressure-broadening effects on molecular transitions, leading to Lorentzian or Voigt profiles, are explored in the context of atmospheric profiles for exoplanets, brown dwarfs, and low-mass stars. We also delve into the impact of electron degeneracy and nonideal effects, such as ionization potential depression under high-density conditions, emphasizing its notable influence on Rosseland mean opacities at temperatures exceeding 10,000 K. As a result, this study expands the ÆSOPUS public web interface for customized gas chemical mixtures, promoting flexibility in opacity calculations based on specific research needs. Additionally, precomputed opacity tables, inclusive of condensates, are provided. We present a preliminary application to evolutionary models for very low-mass stars.

Hydrodynamic simulations of cool stellar atmospheres with MANCHA

Three-dimensional time-dependent simulations of stellar atmospheres are essential to study the surface of stars other than the Sun. These simulations require the opacity binning method to reduce the computational cost of solving the radiative transfer equation down to viable limits. The method depends on a series of free parameters, among which the location and number of bins are key to set the accuracy of the resulting opacity. Our aim is to test how different binning strategies previously studied in one-dimensional models perform in three-dimensional radiative hydrodynamic simulations of stellar atmospheres. Realistic box-in-a-star simulations of the near-surface convection and photosphere of three spectral types (G2V, K0V, and M2V) were run with the MANCHA $-bins. These rates were compared with the ones computed with opacity distribution functions. Then, stellar simulations were run with grey, four-bin, and 18-bin opacities to see the impact of the opacity setup on the mean stratification of the temperature and its gradient after time evolution. The simulations of main sequence cool stars with the MANCHA code are consistent with those in the literature. For the three stars, the radiative energy exchange rates computed with 18 bins are remarkably close to the ones computed with the opacity distribution functions. The rates computed with four bins are similar to the rates computed with 18 bins, and present a significant improvement with respect to the rates computed with the Rosseland opacity, especially above the stellar surface. The Rosseland mean can reproduce the proper rates in sub-surface layers, but produces large errors for the atmospheric layers of the G2V and K0V stars. In the case of the M2V star, the Rosseland mean fails even in sub-surface layers, owing to the importance of the contribution from molecular lines in the opacity, underestimated by the harmonic mean. Similar conclusions are reached studying the mean stratification of the temperature and its gradient after time evolution.

R-matrix calculations for opacities: I. Methodology and computations

An extended version of the R-matrix methodology is presented for calculation of radiative parameters for improved plasma opacities. Contrast and comparisons with existing methods primarily relying on the distorted wave approximation are discussed to verify accuracy and resolve outstanding issues, particularly with reference to the opacity project (OP). Among the improvements incorporated are: (i) large-scale Breit–Pauli R-matrix calculations for complex atomic systems including fine structure, (ii) convergent close coupling wave function expansions for the (e + ion) system to compute oscillator strengths and photoionization cross sections, (iii) open and closed shell iron ions of interest in astrophysics and experiments, (iv) a treatment for plasma broadening of autoionizing resonances as function of energy-temperature-density dependent cross sections, (v) a ‘top-up’ procedure to compare convergence with R-matrix calculations for highly excited levels, and (vi) spectroscopic identification of resonances and bound (e + ion) levels. The present R-matrix monochromatic opacity spectra are fundamentally different from OP and lead to enhanced Rosseland and Planck mean opacities. An outline of the work reported in other papers in this series and those in progress is presented. Based on the present re-examination of the OP work, opacities of heavy elements might require revisions in high temperature-density plasma sources.

The High Mass Accretion in the Innermost Regions of a Viscously Evolved Protoplanetary Disk

In this paper, we investigate the mass accretion properties in the innermost regions of a viscously evolved protoplanetary disk and try to find some clues to the outburst events. In our newly developed one-dimensional time-dependent disk model based on the diffusion equation for surface density, we take into account the following physical effects: the gravitational collapse of the parent molecular cloud core, the irradiation from the central star to the disk, the effect of the photoevaporation mechanism, the viscosity due to the magnetorotational instability (MRI) and the gravitational instability (GI), and the thermal ionization mechanism in the inner regions. We find that the mass accretion rate M·disk in the innermost regions is statistically high enough to generate outbursts, although there are regions where the accretion rate is low. Additionally, we find that there is a weak correlation between the high mass accretion rate M·disk and the molecular cloud core’s properties (angular velocity ω and mass Mcd), as well as a strong correlation with the minimum viscosity parameter αmin. In general, there are two regions of outburst, the inner Region I and outer Region II. The outburst of Region I is caused by the MRI mechanism and thermal instability, while neither the MRI, the GI, nor the thermal instability causes the outburst of Region II. Our analysis suggests that the outer Region II is dominated by, or largely related to, the Rosseland mean opacity κR and the αmin parameter.

2D unified atmosphere and wind simulations of O-type stars

Context. Massive and luminous O-type star (O star) atmospheres with winds have been studied primarily using one-dimensional (1D), spherically symmetric, and stationary models. However, observations and theory have suggested that O star atmospheres are highly structured, turbulent, and time-dependent. As such, when making comparisons to observations, present-day 1D modeling tools require the introduction of ad hoc quantities such as photospheric macro- and microturbulence, wind clumping, and other relevant properties. Aims. We present a series of multi-dimensional, time-dependent, radiation-hydrodynamical (RHD) simulations for O stars that encapsulate the deeper sub-surface envelope (down to T ~ 450 kK), as well as the supersonic line-driven wind outflow in one unified approach. Our overarching aim is to develop a framework that is free from the ad-hoc prescriptions that plague present-day 1D models. Here, we start with an analysis of a small set of such multi-dimensional simulations and then compare them to atmospheric structures predicted by their 1D counterparts. Methods. We performed time-dependent, two-dimensional (2D) simulations of O star atmospheres with winds using a flux-limiting RHD finite volume modelling technique. Opacities are computed using a hybrid approach combining tabulated Rosseland means with calculations (based on the Sobolev approximation) of the enhanced line opacities expected for supersonic flows. The initial conditions and comparison models were derived using similar procedures as those applied in standard 1D stationary model atmosphere with wind codes. Results. Structure starts appearing in our simulations just below the iron-opacity peak at ~200 kK. Local pockets of gas with radiative accelerations that exceed gravity then shoot up from these deep layers into the upper atmosphere, where they interact with the line-driven wind outflow initiated around or beyond the variable photosphere. This complex interplay creates large turbulent velocities in the photospheric layers of our simulations, on the order of ~30–100km s−1, with higher values for models with higher luminosity-to-mass ratios. This offers a generally good agreement with observations of large photospheric ‘macroturbulence’ in O stars. When compared to 1D models, the average structures in the 2D simulations display less envelope expansion and no sharp density-inversions, along with density and temperature profiles that are significantly less steep around the photosphere, and a strong anti-correlation between velocity and density in the supersonic wind. Although the wind initiation region is complex and highly variable in our simulations, our average mass-loss rates agree well with stationary wind models computed by means of full co-moving frame radiative transfer solutions. Conclusions. The different atmospheric structures found in 2D and 1D simulations are likely to affect the spectroscopic determination of fundamental stellar and wind parameters for O stars as well as the empirical derivation of their chemical abundance patterns. To qualitatively match the different density and temperature profiles seen in our multi-dimensional and 1D models, we need to add a modest amount of convective energy transport in the deep sub-surface layers and a large turbulent pressure around the photosphere to the 1D models.

The Effects of Thomson Scattering and Chemical Mixing on Early-time Light Curves of Double-peaked Type IIb Supernovae

Previous numerical simulations of double-peaked Type IIb supernova (SN IIb) light curves have demonstrated that the radius and mass of the hydrogen-rich envelope of the progenitor star can significantly influence the brightness and timescale of the early-time light curve around the first peak. In this study, we investigate how Thomson scattering and chemical mixing in the SN ejecta affect the optical light curves during the early stages of the SNe IIb using radiation hydrodynamics simulations. By comparing the results from two different numerical codes (i.e., STELLA and SNEC), we find that the optical brightness of the first peak can be reduced by more than a factor of 3 as a result of the effect of Thomson scattering that causes the thermalization depth to be located below the Rosseland mean photosphere, compared to the corresponding case where this effect is ignored. We also observe a short-lived plateau-like feature lasting for a few days in the early-time optical light curves of our models, in contrast to typical observed SNe IIb that show a quasi-linear decrease in optical magnitudes after the first peak. A significant degree of chemical mixing between the hydrogen-rich envelope and the helium core in SN ejecta is required to reconcile this discrepancy between the model prediction and observation. Meanwhile, to properly reproduce the first peak, a significant mixing of 56Ni into the hydrogen-rich outermost layers should be restricted. Our findings indicate that inferring the SN IIb progenitor structure from a simplified approach that ignores these two factors may introduce substantial uncertainty.

ÆSOPUS 2.0: Low-temperature Opacities with Solid Grains

Abstract In this study we compute the equation of state and Rosseland mean opacity from temperatures of T ≃ 30,000 K down to T ≃ 400 K, pushing the capabilities of the ÆSOPUS code into the regime where solid grains can form. The GGchem code is used to solve the chemistry for temperatures less than ≃3000 K. Atoms, molecules, and dust grains in thermodynamic equilibrium are all included in the equation of state. To incorporate monochromatic atomic and molecular cross sections, an optimized opacity sampling technique is used. The Mie theory is employed to calculate the opacity of 43 grain species. Tables of Rosseland mean opacities for scaled-solar compositions are provided. Based on our computing resources, opacities for other chemical patterns, as well as various grain sizes, porosities, and shapes, can be easily computed upon user request to the corresponding author.

Interface of equation of state, atomic data, and opacities in the solar problem

ABSTRACT The dependence of the Rosseland Mean Opacity (RMO) on the equation of state and the number of included atomic levels of iron ions prevalent at the solar radiative/convection boundary is investigated. The ‘chemical picture’ Mihalas–Hummer–Däppen (MHD) equation-of-state (EOS), and its variant QMHD–EOS, are studied at two representative temperature–density sets at the base of the convection zone and the Sandia Z experiment: (2 × 106 K, 1023/cc) and (2.11 × 106 K, 3.16 × 1022/cc), respectively. It is found that whereas the new atomic data sets from accurate R-matrix calculations for opacities (RMOP) are vastly overcomplete, involving hundreds to over a thousand levels of each of the three Fe ions considered – Fe xvii, Fe xviii, Fe xix – the EOS constrains contributions to RMOs by relatively fewer levels. The RMOP iron opacity spectrum is quite different from the Opacity Project distorted wave model and shows considerably more plasma broadening effects. This work points to possible improvements needed in the EOS for opacities in high-energy–density plasma sources.

Simulative Comparison of Radiation Model Parameterizations for Direct Current Arcs in a Busbar Setup

The influence of different methods for calculating mean absorption coefficients on the mean arc voltage and velocity of an arc moving in air along parallel busbars is investigated in a numerical arc simulation. The radiation model used is the discrete ordinate method. Planck, hybrid and Rosseland mean calculations for a three- and six-band selection are discussed. Compared with the experimental results from a published paper, the Planck mean for six bands shows the most promising results.

Feed forward neural network parametrization of the mean radiative properties of the mixture

Fast evaluated and highly accurate parametrization of the radiative properties has important applications where opacity evaluations in situ are frequently needed. Feed forward neural network (FFNN) is successfully developed to fit the average ionization degree, Planck and Rosseland mean opacities of the mixture from the opacity project. Three typical cases are shown: (a) for pure C, FFNNs with different sizes provide low to high representations, and with hundreds of parameters, the root mean square error (RMSE) decreases within 1%. Properties of the complex element such as Fe are also fitted successfully; (b) the mean properties of the CH mixture are fitted with the RMSE less than 2.7% by a 3×30×30×1 FFNN (1081 parameters). Analytical relations between the properties of mixture and each species are discussed; (c) the Rosseland mean opacities of the mixtures from solar model are reconstructed by a 4×20×20×1 FFNN (541 parameters) with the RMSE less than 0.7%, where the mass fractions of H and He are used as the reduced variables to distinguish the compositions at different solar radius. These cases illustrate the key points in the fitting and suggest FFNN as a feasible and powerful tool in the parametrization of mixture properties. This work is essential for practical application and further modelization of the mixture.

Ideas and Tools for Error Detection in Opacity Databases

In this article, we propose several ideas and tools in order to check the reliability of radiative opacity and atomic physics databases. We first emphasize that it can be useful to verify that mathematical inequalities, which impose lower and upper bounds on the Rosseland and/or Planck mean opacities, are satisfied, either for pure elements or mixtures. In the second part, we discuss the intriguing law of anomalous numbers, also named Benford’s law, which enables one to detect errors in line-strength collections, required in order to perform fine-structure calculations. Finally, we point out and illustrate the importance of quantifying the uncertainties due to interpolations in the density-temperature opacity (or more generally atomic-data) tables and performing convergence checks, which are crucial in the accuracy-completeness compromise inherent in opacity computations.

Updated Low-temperature Gas Opacities with ÆSOPUS 2.0

This work introduces new low-temperature gas opacities in the range computed with the ÆSOPUS code under the assumption of thermodynamic equilibrium. In comparison to the previous version, ÆSOPUS 1.0, we updated and expanded molecular absorption to include 80 species, mostly using the recommended line lists currently available from the ExoMol and HITRAN databases. Furthermore, in light of a recent study, we revised the H− photodetachment cross section, added the free–free absorption of other negative ions of atoms and molecules, and updated the collision-induced absorption due to H2/H2, H2/H, H2/He, and H/He pairs. Using the new input physics, we computed tables of Rosseland mean opacities for several scaled-solar chemical compositions, including Magg et al.'s most recent one, as well as α-enhanced mixtures. The differences in opacity between the new ÆSOPUS 2.0 and the original ÆSOPUS 1.0 versions, as well as other sets of calculations, are discussed. The new opacities are released to the community via a dedicated webpage that includes both precomputed tables for widely used chemical compositions and a web interface for calculating opacities on the fly for any abundance distribution.

RAPOC: The Rosseland and Planck opacity converter

RAPOC (Rosseland and Planck Opacity Converter) is a Python 3 code that calculates Rosseland and Planck mean opacities (RPMs) from wavelength-dependent opacities for a given temperature, pressure, and wavelength range. In addition to being user-friendly and rapid, RAPOC can interpolate between discrete data points, making it flexible and widely applicable to the astrophysical and Earth-sciences fields, as well as in engineering. RAPOC uses ExoMol, DACE, or any user defined input data, provided that it is in a readable format. In this paper, we present the RAPOC code and compare its calculated Rosseland and Planck mean opacities with other values in the literature. RAPOC is open-source and available on Pypi and GitHub.

Mean opacities of a strongly magnetized high-temperature plasma

ABSTRACT Geometry and dynamical structure of emission regions in accreting pulsars are shaped by the interplay between gravity, radiation, and strong magnetic field, which significantly affects the opacities of a plasma and radiative pressure under such extreme conditions. Quantitative consideration of magnetic plasma opacities is therefore an essential ingredient of any self-consistent modelling of emission region structure of X-ray pulsars (XRPs). We present results of computations of the Rosseland and Planck mean opacities of a strongly magnetized plasma with a simple chemical composition, namely the solar hydrogen/helium mix. We consider all relevant specific opacities of the magnetized plasma including vacuum polarization effect and contribution of electron–positron pairs where the pair number density is computed in the thermodynamic equilibrium approximation. The magnetic Planck mean opacity determines the radiative cooling of an optically thin strongly magnetized plasma. It is by factor of three smaller than non-magnetic Planck opacity at $k_{\rm B}T \lt 0.1\, E_{\rm cyc}$ and increases by a factor of 102–104 at $k_{\rm B}T \gt 0.3\, E_{\rm cyc}$ due to cyclotron thermal processes. We propose a simple approximate expression which has sufficient accuracy for the magnetic Planck opacity description. We provide the Rosseland opacity in a tabular form computed in the temperature range 1–300 keV, magnetic field range 3 × 1010–1015 G, and a broad range of plasma densities. We demonstrate that the scattering on the electron–positron pairs increases the Rosseland opacity drastically at temperatures > 50 keV in the case of mass densities typical for accretion channel in XRPs.

First 3D radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of Wolf-Rayet winds

Context. Classical Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars are direct supernova progenitors undergoing vigorous mass loss. Understanding the dense and fast outflows of such WR stars is thus crucial for understanding advanced stages of stellar evolution and the dynamical feedback of massive stars on their environments, and for characterizing the distribution of black hole masses. Aims. In this paper, we develop the first time-dependent, multidimensional, radiation-hydrodynamical models of the extended optically thick atmospheres and wind outflows of hydrogen-free classical WR stars. Methods. A flux-limiting radiation hydrodynamics approach is used on a finite volume mesh to model WR outflows. The opacities are described using a combination of tabulated Rosseland mean opacities and the enhanced line opacities expected within a supersonic flow. Results. For high-luminosity models, a radiation-driven, dense, supersonic wind is launched from deep subsurface regions associated with peaks in the Rosseland mean opacity. For a model with lower luminosity, on the other hand, the Rosseland mean opacity is not sufficient to sustain a net-radial outflow in the subsurface regions. Instead, what develops in this case, is a "standard" line-driven wind launched from the optically thin regions above an extended, moderately inflated, and highly turbulent atmosphere. We thus find here a natural transition from optically thick outflows of classical WR stars to optically thin winds of hot, compact subdwarfs; in our simulations, this transition occurs approximately at a luminosity that is ~40% of the Eddington luminosity. Because of the changing character of the wind-launching mechanism, this transition is also accompanied by a large drop (on the low-luminosity end) in the average mass-loss rate. Since the subsurface opacity peaks are further associated with convective instabilities, the flows are highly structured and turbulent, consisting of coexisting regions of outflowing, stagnated, and even pockets of infalling gas. Typical velocity dispersions in our 3D models are high, 100–300 km s−1, but the clumping factors are rather modest, fc1 ≡ 〈ρ2〉/〈ρ〉2 ~ 2. We further find that, while the low-density gas in our simulations is strongly radiation-driven, the overdense structures are, after their initial launch, primarily advected outward by ram-pressure gradients. This inefficient radiative acceleration of dense "clumps" reflects the inverse dependence of line driving on mass density and leads to a general picture wherein high-density gas parcels move significantly slower than the mean and low-density wind material.

High‐temperature near‐IR spectral properties and thermal radiation conductivity of (un)colored silicate glass melts

AbstractUsing an emittance technique with a fast CO2 laser heating of glass samples, the high‐temperature absorption spectra in the near‐infrared region of ultrapure and colored (Co‐, Cu‐, Mn‐, and Ni‐doped) glasses are measured. The effects of higher glass temperatures on these absorption spectra are explained in the framework of the ligand field theory. Thus, the temperature‐dependent absorption bands of the previous transition metal ions are assigned to electronic transitions among the ligand field energy levels of these ions. In particular, spectral shifts, spectral broadening, and changes in absorption strength are ascribed to changes in the structural symmetry of the ionic sites in the glass matrix and to changes of the ligand field strength at increasing temperatures.Besides, the temperature‐dependent Rosseland mean absorptions of the sulfate fined soda lime silicate glass melts, colored with the previous transition metal ions, are derived from the absorption spectra. Combining all the data, semiempirical correlations are derived, which predict the Rosseland thermal radiation properties as a function of glass temperature and of glass redox chemistry. The latter property involves the temperature‐dependent concentration of the specific valency of the coloring ions, determined independently, e.g. by a Gibbs minimization redox calculation tool.

A comprehensive study of the radiative properties of NO—a first step toward a complete air opacity

In this paper we propose a methodology to calculate the radiative properties of the diatomic molecular constituents of air, and utilize the present approach to model the radiative properties of nitrogen monoxide, NO. We also investigate the important physics involved in calculating accurate radiative quantities for air, such as the Planck and Rosseland mean opacities, and emission and absorption coefficients, as well as the couplings accounted for in rovibrational calculations. Complete active space self-consistent field multi-reference configuration interaction (CAS-MRCI) calculations were performed in order to model the NO X 2Π, a 4Π, b 4Σ−, 12Σ+, 22Σ+, 32Σ+, G 2Σ−, B′2Δ, (C, B) 22Π, (H′, L) 32Π, and 12Φ adiabatic states, and calculate the respective molecular data. The γ X 2Π − A 2Σ+, ɛ X 2Π − D 2Σ+, β′ X 2Π − B′2Δ, ‘11 000 Å’ A 2Σ+ − D 2Σ+, ‘infrared’ X 2Π − X 2Π and X 2Π − (C, B) 22Π (δ and β) band systems are investigated in monochromatic spectra calculations, as well as the Ogawa a 4Π − b 4Σ− band and several other band systems. Several conclusions are drawn, such as the importance of including the Ogawa band, which has not been included in previous air radiative models or comprehensive line-list calculations, as well as the importance of performing coupled rovibrational line-list calculations in order to accurately calculate the Rosseland means. We also found that the additional band systems modeled here contribute significantly to the total Planck and Rosseland means.

Cloud-convection Feedback in Brown Dwarf Atmospheres

Numerous observational evidence has suggested the presence of active meteorology in the atmospheres of brown dwarfs. A near-infrared brightness variability has been observed. Clouds have a major role in shaping the thermal structure and spectral properties of these atmospheres. The mechanism of such variability is still unclear, and neither 1D nor global circulation models can fully study this topic due to resolution. In this study, a convective-resolving model is coupled to gray-band radiative transfer in order to study the coupling between the convective atmosphere and the variability of clouds over a large temperature range with a domain of several hundred kilometers. Six types of clouds are considered, with microphysics including settling. The clouds are radiatively active through the Rosseland mean coefficient. Radiative cloud feedback can drive spontaneous atmospheric variability in both temperature and cloud structure, as modeled for the first time in three dimensions. Silicate clouds have the most effect on the thermal structure with the generation of a secondary convective layer in some cases, depending on the assumed particle size. Iron and aluminum clouds also have a substantial impact on the atmosphere. Thermal spectra were computed, and we find the strongest effect of the clouds is the smoothing of spectral features at optical wavelengths. Compared to observed L and T dwarfs on the color–magnitude diagram, the simulated atmospheres are redder for most of the cases. Simulations with the presence of cloud holes are closer to observations.

OPTAB: Public code for generating gas opacity tables for radiation hydrodynamics simulations

We have developed a public code, OPTAB, that outputs Rosseland, Planck, and two-temperature Planck mean gas opacity tables for radiation hydrodynamics simulations in astrophysics. The code is developed for modern high-performance computing, being written in Fortran 90 and using Message Passing Interface and Hierarchical Data Format, Version 5. The purpose of this work is to provide a platform on which users can generate opacity tables for their own research purposes. Therefore, the code has been designed so that a user can easily modify, change, or add opacity sources in addition to those already implemented, which include bremsstrahlung, photoionization, Rayleigh scattering, line absorption, and collision-induced absorption. In this paper, we provide details of the opacity calculations in our code and present validation tests to evaluate the performance of our code.

New nickel opacities and their impact on stellar models

Context. The chemical element nickel is of particular interest in stellar physics. In the layers in which the Fe-peak elements dominate the mean opacity (the so-called Z-bump), Ni is the second contributor to the Rosseland opacity after iron, according to the Opacity Project data. Reliable nickel cross sections are therefore mandatory for building realistic stellar models, especially for main-sequence pulsators such as β Cep and slowly pulsating B stars, whose oscillations are triggered by the κ-mechanism of the Fe-peak elements. Unfortunately, the Opacity Project data for Ni were extrapolated from those of Fe, and previous studies have shown that they were underestimated in comparison to detailed calculations. Aims. We investigate the impact of newly computed monochromatic cross sections on the Rosseland mean opacity of Ni and on the structure of main-sequence massive pulsators. We compare our results with the widely used Opacity Project and OPAL data. Methods. Monochromatic cross sections for Ni were obtained with the SCO-RCG code. The Toulouse-Geneva evolution code was used to build the stellar models. Results. With the new data, the Rosseland opacities of Ni are roughly the same as those of the Opacity Project or OPAL at high temperatures (log T > 6). At lower temperatures, significant departures are observed; the ratios are up to six times higher with SCO-RCG. These discrepancies span a wider temperature range in the comparison with OPAL than in comparison with the Opacity Project. For massive star models, the results of the comparison with a structure computed with Opacity Project data show that the Rosseland mean of the global stellar mixture is only marginally altered in the Z-bump. The maximum opacity is shifted towards slightly more superficial layers. A new maximum appears in the temperature derivative of the mean opacity, and the driving of the pulsations should be affected.