Measurement of XUV-absorption spectra of ZnS radiatively heated foils

Time-resolved absorption of zinc sulfide (ZnS) and aluminum in the XUV-range has been measured. Thin foils in conditions close to local thermodynamic equilibrium were heated by radiation from laser-irradiated gold spherical cavities. Analysis of the aluminum foil radiative hydrodynamic expansion, based on the detailed atomic calculations of its absorption spectra, showed that the cavity emitted flux that heated the absorption foils corresponds to a radiation temperature in the range 55 60 eV. Comparison of the ZnS absorption spectra with calculations based on a superconfiguration approach identified the presence of species Zn6+ - Zn8+ and S5+ - S6+. Based on the validation of the radiative source simulations, experimental spectra were then compared to calculations performed by post-processing the radiative hydrodynamic simulations of ZnS. Satisfying agreement is found when temperature gradients are accounted for

Radiative properties of stellar plasmas and open challenges

The lifetime of solar-like stars, the envelope structure of more massive stars, and stellar acoustic frequencies largely depend on the radiative properties of the stellar plasma. Up to now, these complex quantities have been estimated only theoretically. The development of the powerful tools of helio- and astero- seismology has made it possible to gain insights on the interiors of stars. Consequently, increased emphasis is now placed on knowledge of the monochromatic opacity coefficients. Here we review how these radiative properties play a role, and where they are most important. We then concentrate specifically on the envelopes of $\beta$ Cephei variable stars. We discuss the dispersion of eight different theoretical estimates of the monochromatic opacity spectrum and the challenges we need to face to check these calculations experimentally.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, in press (conference HEDLA 2010

Effect of third- and fourth-order moments on the modeling of Unresolved Transition Arrays

The impact of the third (skewness) and fourth (kurtosis) reduced centered moments on the statistical modeling of E1 lines in complex atomic spectra is investigated through the use of Gram-Charlier, Normal Inverse Gaussian and Generalized Gaussian distributions. It is shown that the modeling of unresolved transition arrays with non-Gaussian distributions may reveal more detailed structures, due essentially to the large value of the kurtosis. In the present work, focus is put essentially on the Generalized Gaussian, the power of the argument in the exponential being constrained by the kurtosis value. The relevance of the new statistical line distribution is checked by comparisons with smoothed detailed line-by-line calculations and through the analysis of 2p-3d transitions of recent laser or Z-pinch absorption measurements. The issue of calculating high-order moments is also discussed (Racah algebra, Jucys graphical method, semi-empirical approach ...).Comment: submitted to High Energy Density Physic

X-ray spectroscopy and imaging of a plasma collision

The collision of laser-produced plasmas has been diagnosed by x-ray spectroscopy and imaging. The two colliding plasmas are produced on Al thin foils at a distance of 200 to 900 {mu}m irradiated at {lambda} = 0.53 {mu}m with laser intensities of 3 {times} 10{sup 13} to 6 {times} 10{sup 13} W/cm{sup 2}. Interpenetration of the plasmas was visualized by replacing one of the foils material by magnesium. The main diagnostics viewing the inter-target space were time-resolved monochromatic imaging of the 1s{sup 2} 1s3p aluminum line (He{Beta} at {lambda} {minus} 6.635 {Angstrom}). Doppler broadening measurement with a vertical Johann very high resolution spectrograph in the range 6.5--6.7{Angstrom}, space-resolved high resolution spectra of the dielectronic satellites of the 1s-2p 1 yman, space-resolved spectra with a flat-crystal spectrograph in the range 5--7 {Angstrom} and in the range of 43--48 {Angstrom} obtained with a new OHM crystal spectrograph and a pinhole camera. A multifluid eulerian monodimensional hydrodynamic code coupled with a radiative-atomic package provided simulations of the experiments. Hydrodynamic 2D simulations calculating the lateral expansion of the plasma enabled a reliable treatment of reabsorption along the line of sight of the spectrographs. The size the time duration of the collision, the plasma parameters (Te,Ti and ne) in the collision region and interpenetration were measured. The hydrocode simulations give a good understanding of the behavior of the collision in function of intertarget distance and laser intensity

PLASMA CONDITIONS FOR OPTIMUM GAIN IN RESONANT PHOTOEXCITATION OF STRONTIUM NEON-LIKE IONS BY ALUMINIUM RADIATION

On étudie sur le plan théorique et expérimental la photoexcitation résonnante des ions néonoides du strontium par le rayonnement des ions hydrogénoides de l'aluminium. Les conditions de plasma favorisant la photoexcitation sont définies par des études en spectroscopie X et XUV. La conception des cibles est réalisée avec l'aide d'une étude de l'ablation de couches de strontium en fonction des conditions laser. L'absorption du rayonnement de l'aluminium par le strontium est démontrée dans une expérience à deux plasmas.Resonant photoexcitation of strontium neon-like ions by the radiation of aluminium hydrogen-like ions is studied theoretically and experimentally in laser-created plasmas. X-ray and XUV spectroscopy are used as tools to define plasma conditions where photo-pumping is efficient. The design of targets is completed by ablation studies of strontium layers under various experimental conditions. Absorption spectroscopy in a two plasma experiment demonstrates the potential usefulness of quasi-resonant photoexcitation in neon-like X-ray amplifiers