Analysis of an Inhomogeneous Semitransparent Plasma by the Lines in the Emission Spectrum

Abstract

Using the methods of numerical simulation, we have investigated the dependence of the intensity and parameters of the spectral line profiles in the radiation of semitransparent plasma on its optical thickness, the degree of inhomogeneity, and the parameter distribution. As a model, we used the equilibrium plasma of argon with a given temperature profile on the observation line. The calculation has been performed for the spectral lines of the argon atom characterized by different broadening constants. On the basis of the results obtained it has been shown that it is possible to diagnose the plasma and determine the degree of its inhomogeneity and reabsorption by the parameters of the self-reversed profiles of the spectral lines. To diagnose the plasma in the absence of self-reversal, we propose to use the line intensities in the emission spectra of the plasma, including those obtained by probing it by its self-radiation.