Stark broadening of Pb iv spectral lines of astrophysical interest

Using a semi-empirical approach, we report in this paper calculated values of the Stark broadening parameters for 58 lines of Pb iv. They were calculated using a set of wavefunctions obtained from Hartree–Fock relativistic calculations including core polarization effects. Stark widths for 58 lines of Pb iv arising from 5d10ns (n= 7, 8), 5d106p, 5d96s6p, 5d10nd (n= 6, 7), 5d105g and 5d10nh (n= 6, 7) configurations have been calculated in this way. Stark widths and shifts are presented for an electron density of 1017 cm−3and temperatures T= 11 000–200 000 K. These atomic data are relevant to the analysis of Pb iv detected in Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer spectra of hot subdwarf B stars and are used to determine the lead abundance of the early B main-sequence star AV 304 in the Small Magallanic Cloud by measuring the 1313.1 Å resonance line. Common trends for the Stark width of the resonance lines have been found and are discussed.