NLTE Model Atmospheres for Extremely Hot Compact Stars

Abstract

Present observational techniques provide stellar spectra with high resolution at a high signal-to-noise ratio over the complete wavelength range—from the far infrared to X-rays.

The effects of Non-“Local Thermal Equilibrium” (NLTE) are particularly important for hot stars, hence the use of reliable NLTE stellar model atmosphere fluxes is required for an adequate spectral analysis.

State-of-the-art NLTE model atmospheres include metal-line blanketing of millions of lines of all elements from hydrogen up to the iron-group elements, and thus permit precise analyses of extremely hot compact stars, e.g., central stars of planetary nebulae, PG 1159 stars, white dwarfs, and neutron stars. Their careful spectroscopic study is of great interest in several branches of modern astrophysics, e.g., stellar and galactic evolution, and interstellar matter.