A Radiative Cycle with Stimulated Emission from Atoms (Ions) in an astrophysical Plasma

Abstract

We propose that a radiative cycle operates in atoms (ions) located in a rarefied gas in the vicinity of a hot star. Besides spontaneous transitions the cycle includes a stimulated transition in one very weak intermediate channel. This radiative "bottle neck" creates a population inversion, which for an appropriate column density results in amplification and stimulated radiation in the weak transition. The stimulated emission opens a fast decay channel leading to a fast radiative cycle in the atom (or ion). We apply this model by explaining two unusually bright Fe II lines at 250.7 and 250.9 nm in the UV spectrum of gas blobs close to h Carinae, one of the most massive and luminous stars in the Galaxy. The gas blobs are spatially resolved from the central star by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We also suggest that in the frame of a radiative cycle stimulated emission is a key phenomenon behind many spectral lines showing anomalous intensities in spectra of gas blobs outside eruptive stars.

arXiv commentAccepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Letters

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