Fe15+ dielectronic recombination and the effects of configuration interaction between resonances with different captured electron principal quantum numbers

Abstract

Dielectronic recombination (DR) of Na-like Fe15+ forming Mg-like Fe14+ via excitation of a 2l core electron has been investigated. We find that configuration interaction (CI) between DR resonances with different captured electron principal quantum numbers n can lead to a significant reduction in resonance strengths for n≥5. Previous theoretical work for this system has not considered this form of CI. Including it accounts for most of the discrepancy between previous theoretical and experimental results. © 2011 The American Physical Society.