Dielectronic satellite spectrum of heliumlike argon: A contribution to the physics of highly charged ions and plasma impurity transport

Dielectronic satellite emission from a solid-density Mg plasma: Relationship to models of ionization potential depression

We report on experiments where solid-density Mg plasmas are created by heating with the focused output of the Linac Coherent Light Source x-ray free-electron laser. We study the K-shell emission from the helium- and lithium-like ions using Bragg crystal spectroscopy. Observation of the dielectronic satellites in lithium-like ions confirms that the M-shell electrons appear bound for these high charge states. An analysis of the intensity of these satellites indicates that when modeled with an atomic-kinetics code, the ionization potential depression model employed needs to produce depressions for these ions which lie between those predicted by the well known Stewart-Pyatt and Ecker-Kroll models. These results are largely consistent with recent density functional theory calculations.

Objectives and layout of a high-resolution x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer for the large helical device

A high-resolution x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer, whose concept was tested on NSTX and Alcator C-Mod, is being designed for the large helical device (LHD). This instrument will record spatially resolved spectra of helium-like Ar(16+) and will provide ion temperature profiles with spatial and temporal resolutions of <2 cm and ≥10 ms, respectively. The spectrometer layout and instrumental features are largely determined by the magnetic field structure of LHD. The stellarator equilibrium reconstruction codes, STELLOPT and PIES, will be used for the tomographic inversion of the spectral data.

New benchmarks from tokamak experiments for theoretical calculations of the dielectronic satellite spectra of heliumlike ions

Dielectronic satellite spectra of heliumlike argon, recorded with a high-resolution x-ray crystal spectrometer at the National Spherical Torus Experiment, were found to be inconsistent with existing predictions resulting in unacceptable values for the power balance and suggesting the unlikely existence of non-Maxwellian electron energy distributions. These problems were resolved with calculations from a new atomic code. It is now possible to perform reliable electron-temperature measurements and to eliminate the uncertainties associated with determinations of non-Maxwellian distributions.

Spectroscopy of heliumlike argon resonance and satellite lines for plasma temperature diagnostics

The n=2-1 spectral emission pattern of heliumlike argon, together with the associated satellite emission originating from lithiumlike argon have been measured with high-resolution x-ray spectroscopy at the Berlin electron-beam ion trap. The observed line intensity across a wide range of excitation energies was weighted by an electron-energy distribution to analyze as a function of plasma temperature the line ratios between KLL dielectronic recombination satellites, in particular the j+z, j, and k satellites, and the w-resonance line. A good agreement between various theoretical models is found, supporting the method of line-ratio measurement as a temperature diagnostic for plasmas. A value for the so-called R-line ratio is determined and calculations with the HULLAC suite of codes predict it to be electron density independent over a wide range.