The effect of horizontal plasma inhomogeneities in 3D NLTE radiation transfer in stellar atmospheres

Abstract

{We aim to demonstrate the effect of atmospheric inhomogeneities on the emergent specific intensity and radiation flux of a spectral line radiation.} {We self-consistently solve the NLTE problem for a two-level atom in a 3D atmosphere using the Cartesian grid. For that purpose, we use the 3D radiative transfer code PORTA. By examining simple examples, we study cases where the temperature inhomogeneities in the atmosphere models lead to the modification of the emergent radiation.} {We show that specific temperature inhomogeneities in the model atmospheres influence the emerging radiation, and that interpretation of the stellar spectra based on a plane-parallel atmosphere models can lead to erroneous conclusions about the atmospheric structure.}