NLTE analysis of the solar potassium abundance

We investigate the formation of neutral potassium lines in the solar photosphere based on extensive statistical equilibrium calculations to determine the solar potassium abundance. The computations are based on a 68-level potassium atomic model. Hydrogen collisions were supplied with an enhancement factor S-H = 0.05 to the classical Drawin formula. Synthetic line profiles calculated from the level populations according to the NLTE departure coefficients were compared with the observed solar spectral atlas. The solar potassium abundance based on theoretical model atmospheres is log epsilon(circle dot) (K) = 5.12 +/- 0.03, which agrees with the meteoritic value of 5.09 +/- 0.05 compiled by Lodders.