title: Generalization of super-transition-array methods to hot dense plasmas by using optimum independent particle reference systems.
abstract: The computation of superconfiguration partition functions relies upon independent electron statistics, with electron-electron contributions included as an average first-order correction factor. The decomposition into a first-order correction and reference independent electron system has degrees of freedom not exploited by current methods. We present a derivation for the conventional choice of decomposition and propose a different method for obtaining an optimal decomposition for each superconfiguration. This constitutes an alternative procedure to recomputing self-consistent fields for the refinement of superconfiguration partition functions. Numerical results are presented and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Département de Physique Théorique et Appliquée, CEA/DAM Ile-de-France, Boîte Postale 12, F 91680 Bruyères-le-Châtel, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faussurier
authors.forename: Brian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Mau Hsiung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chen