Non-LTE Equivalent Widths for Ne I with Error Estimates

Non-LTE equivalent widths for the 3s → 3p transitions of Ne I are presented. These lines, which are the strongest available for determining neon abundances in late- to mid-B stars, are known to be subject to large non-LTE strengthening. Error bounds on the equivalent widths arising from uncertainties in the atomic data are evaluated through Monte Carlo simulation, and the non-LTE predictions are explicitly shown to have converged with respect to further increases in model atom complexity. The results are obtainable as a grid of equivalent widths and theoretical uncertainties spanning the entire main-sequence range of B star stellar parameters (Teff = 10,000-31,000 K, log g = 3.5-4.5, and ζt = 0-10 km s-1) for three choices of the neon abundance (ANe = 7.55, 8.05, and 8.55 dex). Over most of this range, for realistic observing programs and using currently available atomic data, the limiting accuracy of neon abundance determinations based on Ne I is ~ ±0.10 dex.