The Database Format Used by fiasco

Analyzing astrophysical observations requires detailed knowledge of the underlying physics responsible for the formation of the observed spectra. The CHIANTI atomic database provides a comprehensive set of atomic data for relevant elements, ions, and transitions in astrophysical plasmas. CHIANTI includes energy levels, transition wavelengths, as well as collision strength and cross-section data for computing ionization and recombination rates. The papers CHIANTI Publications give an extensive description of each version of the database.

The CHIANTI data is distributed by the CHIANTI team as a collection of ASCII text files in a series of subdirectories. Rather than interact with these raw text files directly, fiasco first builds the entire CHIANTI database into a single HDF5 file to allow for easier and faster access to the data.