Plasma opacity calculations using the Starrett and Saumon average-atom model with ion correlations

Abstract

We present the opacities of iron, aluminum, and bromine plasmas calculated using the Starrett and Saumon average-atom model allowing for ion correlations. We show that the use of earlier average-atom ion-correlation model of Rozsnyai, as has recently been done in the solar opacity calculations, overestimates the effect of ion correlations on plasma opacities. The reason for this overestimation is discussed.