Infrared Coronal Emission Lines and the Possibility of their Laser Emission in Seyfert Nuclei

Abstract

Infrared coronal emission lines are providing a new window for observation and analysis of highly ionized gas in Galactic and extragalactic sources such as Seyfert nuclei and classical novae shells. These lines are expected to be primary coolants in colliding galaxies, galaxy cluster cooling flows, cometary-compact HII regions, and supernova remnants. In this poster, we summarize results discussed in detail by Greenhouse et al. 1993, ApJS, 88 , 23. We discuss approximately 74 infrared (1 < λ μm < 280) transitions within the ground configurations 2 s 2 2 p k and 3 s 2 3 p k ( k = 1 to 5) or the first excited configurations 2 s 2 p and 3 s 3 p of highly ionized (χ ≥ 100 eV) O, Ne, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Fe, and Ni. We present results from detailed balance calculations, critical densities for collisional de-excitation, intrinsic photon rates, branching ratios, and excitation temperatures for the transitions. The temperature and density parameter space for dominant cooling via infrared coronal lines is presented, and the relationship of infrared and optical coronal lines is discussed.