We have constructed a comprehensive grid of 1540 metal line-blanketed , NLTE , plane-parallel , hydrostatic model atmospheres for the basic parameters appropriate to early B-type stars .
The Bstar2006 grid considers 16 values of effective temperatures , 15 000 K \leq T _ { eff } \leq 30 000 K with 1 000 K steps , 13 surface gravities , 1.75 \leq \log g \leq 4.75 with 0.25 dex steps , 6 chemical compositions , and a microturbulent velocity of 2 km s ^ { -1 } .
The lower limit of \log g for a given effective temperature is set by an approximate location of the Eddington limit .
The selected chemical compositions range from twice to one tenth of the solar metallicity and metal-free .
Additional model atmospheres for B supergiants ( \log g \leq 3.0 ) have been calculated with a higher microturbulent velocity ( 10 km s ^ { -1 } ) and a surface composition that is enriched in helium and nitrogen , and depleted in carbon .
This new grid complements our earlier Ostar2002 grid of O-type stars ( Lanz & Hubeny , 2003 , ApJS , 146 , 417 ) .
The paper contains a description of the Bstar2006 grid and some illustrative examples and comparisons .
NLTE ionization fractions , bolometric corrections , radiative accelerations , and effective gravities are obtained over the parameter range covered by the grid .
By extrapolating radiative accelerations , we have determined an improved estimate of the Eddington limit in absence of rotation between 55 000 and 15 000 K. The complete Bstar2006 grid is available at the Tlusty website .