Photoionization equilibrium

Photoionization equilibrium holds when the local or integrated photoionization rate equals the radiative recombination rate, so the ionized fraction is stationary.

Consider pure hydrogen around an isotropic central source with hydrogen-ionizing photon production rate $Q$. An empty cavity of physical radius $r_{\mathrm{in}}$ delivers an unattenuated direct photon flux $Q/(4\pi r_{\mathrm{in}}^2)$ to its inner boundary. Let $⟨\sigma ⟩$ be the photoionization cross section averaged over the incident ionizing photon-number spectrum. Then the direct photoionization rate per neutral atom is $q=Q⟨\sigma ⟩/(4\pi r_{\mathrm{in}}^2)$. With total hydrogen number density $n_H$ and ionized fraction $\zeta$, the electron and proton number densities are both $n_H\zeta$. In the local Case B recombination approximation, photoionization equilibrium givesThis uses a locally balanced photoionization and radiative recombination event rate; the on-the-spot treatment incorporates immediate reabsorption of ground-state recombination photons into ${\alpha }_B$.^[ref]

Solving the quadratic equation and rationalizing its physical root yieldsFor $\Theta \ll 1$, $\zeta \simeq 1-\Theta$; for $\Theta \gg 1$, $\zeta \simeq {\Theta }^{-1/2}$. Thus stronger incident photoionization drives the boundary closer to complete ionization, while a larger recombination rate leaves more neutral hydrogen.

Inferring $Q$ from a recombination line requires an additional, global photon-budget assumption. Suppose $F_{\ell }$ is the total extinction-corrected observed radiative flux in a recombination line of wavelength ${\lambda }_{\ell }$, at distance $D$. At fixed gas conditions let $y_{\ell }={\alpha }_{\ell }^{\mathrm{eff}}/{\alpha }_B$ be the line-photon yield per Case B recombination. The measured line then gives the absorbed hydrogen-ionizing rateFor a dust-free ionization-bounded nebula in steady photoionization equilibrium, with no competing absorbers, $Q_{\mathrm{abs},\mathrm{H}}=Q$. Under these assumptions,The angular ratio $r_{\mathrm{in}}/D$ makes the expression dimensionless and lets a resolved cavity and its integrated recombination line constrain the local ionized fraction.

If only a fraction $f_H$ of the source's ionizing photons produces hydrogen ionizations, then $Q_{\mathrm{abs},\mathrm{H}}=f_{H}Q$ and the last expression for $\Theta$ must be multiplied by $f_H$. A nonzero ionizing photon escape fraction or absorption by dust can therefore make the line underestimate the central $Q$. Correcting the escaping line for extinction alone does not recover ionizing photons that never produced a recombination line. A Dusty Strömgren sphere exemplifies the distinct absorption correction. The local boundary formula also requires an empty, transparent cavity; any attenuation before the gas changes its incident $q$.

When the number of photoionizations equals the number of recombinations, and only those processes exchange thermal energy, equilibrium requires $⟨h\nu -h{\nu }_0{⟩}_{\mathrm{abs}}=⟨E_{\mathrm{rec}}(T)⟩$. Photon absorption and electron capture have their own spectral weights. The density cancels from this event balance, but the actual equilibrium temperature requires the two energy averages.^[ref]

An ionization-bounded nebula contains enough absorbing material to trap the relevant ionizing photons, unlike a density-bounded region that ends before its ionization front. In dust-free hydrogen at steady photoionization equilibrium, the absorbed stellar photon rate equals the integrated Case B recombination rate. Escape, absorption by dust, and competition from other species must be accounted for before identifying the absorbed hydrogen rate with the entire stellar ionizing luminosity.

For fully ionized pure hydrogen of density $n(r)=n_0(r/r_0{)}^{-\beta }$ and constant Case B recombination coefficient $\alpha$, the total recombination rate isThe central integral converges only for $\beta <3/2$; an envelope extending to infinity has finite recombination capacity only for $\beta >3/2$. At $\beta =3/2$, each logarithmic radius interval contributes equally. A cored power-law density profile removes the central singularity.

For the cored power-law density profile that is constant inside $r_c$ and falls as $r^{-\beta }$ outside, with $\beta >3/2$, the maximum integrated Case B recombination rate isA hydrogen-ionizing photon production rate greater than this has no finite radius at photoionization equilibrium. Equality requires an infinite ionized radius. Other core shapes change the coefficient but retain the convergence condition $\beta >3/2$.

The recombination time is the characteristic time for an ionized plasma to recombine after its ionizing source is removed. Uniform hydrogen with electron density $n_e$ and recombination coefficient $\alpha$ has $t_{\mathrm{rec}}=1/(\alpha n_e)$.

Case B recombination excludes direct recombinations to the ground state because their ionizing photons are assumed to be absorbed locally. The coefficient ${\alpha }_B$ therefore counts recombinations to excited states.