Astron. Astrophys. 329, 721-724 (1998)

1. Introduction

Often, the diagnostics of stellar atmospheres requires lines more sensitive to one atmospheric parameter and less sensitive to others. To execute a correct choice of such lines, we offer to apply sensitivity indicators. The calculation of sensitivity indicators is based on the use of the depression response functions (Magain 1986). The detailed description of the calculation techniques was already announced in Sheminova (1993, 1995). The response function defines the rate of variation in the line depression at every point x in the atmosphere relative to the rate of variation of the atmospheric parameter , which undergoes the local disturbance . If we integrate the response function with respect to x and divide it by the value of the emerging depression , we obtain a dimensionless quantity , which is a variation in the observed line depression, , relative to the local variation :

We call it the sensitivity indicator of the line depression.

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1998

Online publication: December 8, 1997
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