Dynamic Stark broadening of Lyman-α

Abstract

Calculating lineshapes of atomic radiative transitions broadened by plasma is a complex problem lacking a general analytic solution, and several models have been suggested to treat it. Lyman-α is the simplest transition; paradoxically however, calculating the broadening of this spectral line in plasma results in a significant spread between different models. Here, we argue that the quasistatic broadening regime is never realized for the line core in a one-component plasma; instead, the broadening due to either electrons or ions alone evolves from the impact regime to another regime, also dynamical in nature. In the latter (referred to here as ‘rotational’ broadening), the linewidth only depends on the typical frequency of the plasma microfields and is independent of both the microfield magnitudes and the atomic properties of the transition. We also demonstrate that rotational broadening is asymptotically reached in the high-density/low-temperature limit by other transitions with an unshifted central component, such as the Balmer-α line. A simple expression is suggested interpolating between the two asymptotic regimes, applicable to broadening due to electrons and ions alike. The treatment is further extended to realistic two-component plasmas. Comparison to results of accurate computer simulations shows a good agreement over a very large range of plasma parameters, both for the case of one- and two-component plasmas.