Electronic structure of UGe2 at ambient pressure: Comparison with X-ray photoemission spectra

► UGe2 studied by band structure calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). ► Ab initio orbital polarisation (OP) correction used in LSDA/GGA + OP approaches. ► OP improved agreement of magnetic moments with experiments. ► Superconductivity due to Fermi-surface nesting possible based on OP calculations. ► XPS spectra point to a dual character of the U 5f electrons in UGe2.