Core correlation effects in multiconfiguration calculations of isotope shifts in Mg I

The present work reports results from systematic multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock calculations of isotope shifts for several well-known transitions in neutral magnesium. Relativistic normal and specific mass shift factors as well as the electronic probability density at the origin are calculated. Combining these electronic quantities with available nuclear data, energy and transition level shifts are determined for the $^{26}$Mg$-^{24}$Mg pair of isotopes. Different models for electron correlation are adopted. It is shown that although valence and core-valence models provide accurate values for the isotope shifts, the inclusion of core-core excitations in the computational strategy significantly improves the accuracy of the transition energies and normal mass shift factors.