Electron collisional excitation of argon-like Ni XI using the Breit-Pauli R-matrix method

Electron excitation collision strengths for the transitions from the ground state to the fine-structure levels of the 3s²3p⁵3d and 3s²3p⁶3d configurations in Ni XI are calculated using the Breit-Pauli R-matrix method. Configuration interaction wavefunctions have been used to represent the target states. The relativistic effects are incorporated in the Breit-Pauli approximation by including one-body mass correction, Darwin, and spin-orbit interaction terms in the scattering equations. Collision strengths are tabulated at selected energies in the range 10 to 75 Rydberg. Effective collision strengths are determined by integrating collision strengths by assuming a Maxwellian distribution of electron energies. The effective collision strengths are listed over a wide temperature range (2×10⁴-1×10⁷ K) applicable to astrophysical plasmas. Our results are the only collision strengths and effective collision strengths available for this ion. We believe that the data calculated in this work will be useful in solar, astrophysical and laser applications.