Corrections to the Asymptotic Holtsmark Formula for Hydrogen Lines Broadened by Electrons and Ions in a Plasma

Corrections to asymptotic Holtsmark formula for hydrogen lines broadened by electrons and ions in plasm

Electron Impact Broadening of Isolated Ion Lines

Electron impact broadening of isolated ion spectral line

Study of a colliding laser-produced plasma by analysis of time and space-resolved image spectra

The interaction of two counter-propagating laser-produced plasmas was studied using simultaneous imaging and spectroscopic techniques. Spectrally-filtered time-gated ICCD imaging was used to obtain information about the spatial dynamics and temporal evolution of the collision process. While, time-resolved imaging spectroscopy was used to determine the spatial and temporal distributions of electron temperature and density within the interaction region. We examine specifically the interaction of plasmas whose parameters match those typically used in pulsed laser deposition of thin films. These low temperature plasmas are highly collisional leading to the creation of a pronounced stagnation layer in the interaction region

Experimental and theoretical investigation of plasma radiation Semiannual status report, Sep. 1969 - Feb. 1970

Stark broadening of argon and neon resonance line

Experimental and theoretical investigation of plasma radiation Semi-annual status report, Mar. - Aug. 1969

Stark-broadened emission lines in plasma radiatio

Early-time measurements of laser-plasma conditions in OMEGA-upgrade ICF targets. Final report, April 1, 1998--January 31, 1999

All of the experimental results from OMEGA shots described here are from CY-1998 experiments under an (extended) FY-98 grant. This research involves fielding at LLE their two flat-field euv spectrographs in the 30--250 {angstrom} range, mainly utilizing on one o them a gated stripline microchannel plate as a time-resolved detector, with photographic recording. The experimental layout for the 1998 experiments is shown. During the week beginning May 3, 1998, the authors obtained 24 data shots over 4 days, and fielded both the time-gated extreme ultraviolet (euv) spectrograph mounted external to the target chamber, as well as their newly-constructed TIM-mounted euv spectrograph mounted closer to the target with time-integrated photographic recording on a trial basis. They also had available the LLE/LLNL streak x-ray spectrograph and x-ray imaging cameras. In this series, the first two shots appeared from the x-ray streak spectra to be normal in the sense that the spectral line emissions from the two coatings sequenced beginning with magnesium followed by aluminum as the coatings were vaporized. Unfortunately, on the following shots in this campaign it became increasingly apparent that conditions had changed radically, and later analyses showed that x-ray spectra lines from the deep aluminum undercoating appeared initially along with weak magnesium lines, indicating a premature vaporization of the magnesium heavier top layer. The second campaign in 1998 occurred during the week beginning October 18, 1998 and consisted of 21 data shots over two extended (12-hour) days following setup. For this series the authors again used their externally-mounted euv spectrography with time resolution and the x-ray streak spectrograph and imaging cameras. Much to their relief, it was immediately evident from the x-ray streak spectra obtained that significant ablation of the magnesium coatings by a (presumed) prepulse was not present, as it had been in the May campaign

Soft x-ray spectroscopy measurements of plasma conditions at early times in ICF experiments on OMEGA. Semi-annual report, November 1, 1998--April 30, 1999

Since arrival of FY-99 funding in December, the authors have been preparing for the first series of experiments under this grant on the OMEGA laser facility, which just took place (for one day) on April 27, 1999. The campaign was successful and results will be included in the next progress report following analyses. For the first time, they fielded their Ten Inch Manipulator (TIM-) mounted flat-field, grazing-incidence extreme-ultraviolet (euv) spectrograph with a four-channel gated-stripline microchannel plate (MCP) detector. This spectrograph covers the spectral range of 30--250 {angstrom} (hv = 50--400 eV). As in a previous campaign of May 1998, where the authors used this instrument with time-integrated photographic recording, the spectrograph reached closer to the target than did the previous version mounted on the chamber wall; such that the sensitivity increased by at least a factor-of-10 for viewing weak spectral features. The analysis during this reporting period of the euv spectroscopic results from the October 1998 NLUF/OMEGA campaign of Mg X, XI and XII spectra from n = 3 to n = 2 transitions are shown in Fig. 1 versus time. The data plotted represent a composite between the three most sensitive striplines, delayed relative to each other, for a number of shots. The intended emphasis was on the early portion of the event while the laser intensity is rising to a peak. This measured euv history agrees with that from the x-ray streak spectrographic data shown in Fig. 2 from the same campaign, i.e., the peak period of emission being in the first 1.5 ns

Early-time measurements of laser-plasma conditions in OMEGA-Upgrade ICF Targets. Final report, April 1, 1997--March 31, 1998

Under this FY-97 NLUF grant, we primarily carried out spectral line and continuum diagnostics at early times and in the coronal region of the plasma using our flat-field grazing-incidence spectrograph, improved to incorporate time resolution at wavelengths extending below the carbon K-absorption edge using a gated microchannel plate detector. These experiments were carried out on the OMEGA facility. Fifty-nine beams were focused onto the target, providing nominally 18 kJ of energy in a 1 ns pulse for an irradiance of {approximately}2{times}10{sup 14}/cm{sup 2}. Some beam smoothing, provided by spectral dispersion, was used, but may not have been particularly effective alone, i.e., without the presence of distributed phase plates in the beams. The plastic microballoon targets were nominally 900 {mu}m in diameter with 10- and 20-{mu}m thick walls, and were filled with neon to a pressure of 10 atm. Overcoatings of Mg and Al in thicknesses ranging from 0.2 to 4 {mu}m were applied. A 1-{mu}m thick layer of CH was added in some early shots to reduce the rate of expansion of the metallic coatings. In the extreme ultraviolet (euv) spectral region, we observed n=3 to n=2 emissions from Li-, He- and H-like ions from the Mg and Al coatings. We also obtained evidence confirming our previously-published laser-field-induced satellites lines at 53.1 {Angstrom} and 62.8 {Angstrom}, apparently at the peak of the Gaussian drive pulse. Both the Mg-line and the continuum euv emissions are high during the radial collapse. The metallic coating materials appear to be in place to some degree during the compression phase, i.e., are not all blown away as coronal plasma at earlier times as modeled. This also is apparent in the Al Lyman-{alpha} x-ray measurements before and after compression. Here, however, higher line opacity made it difficult to track the resonance lines through the compression phase. This illustrates the importance of euv measurements of less opaque lines at high densities

Dynamic and Stagnating Plasma Flow Leading to Magnetic Flux Tube Collimation

Highly collimated, plasma-filled magnetic flux tubes are frequently observed on galactic, stellar and laboratory scales. We propose that a single, universal magnetohydrodynamic pumping process explains why such collimated, plasma-filled magnetic flux tubes are ubiquitous. Experimental evidence from carefully diagnosed laboratory simulations of astrophysical jets confirms this assertion and is reported here. The magnetohydrodynamic process pumps plasma into a magnetic flux tube and the stagnation of the resulting flow causes this flux tube to become collimated.Comment: to be published in PRL; color figures on electronic versio

Using Absorption Imaging to Study Ion Dynamics in an Ultracold Neutral Plasma

We report optical absorption imaging of ultracold neutral plasmas.Images are used to measure the ion absorption spectrum, which is Doppler-broadened. Through the spectral width, we monitor ion equilibration in the first 250ns after plasma formation. The equilibration leaves ions on the border between the weakly coupled gaseous and strongly coupled liquid states. On a longer timescale of microseconds, we observe radial acceleration of ions resulting from pressure exerted by the trapped electron gas.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure