Optical spectrum of a closed cycle MHD generator plasma

Abstract

The spectra of argon-cesium plasmas, used as working fluids of closed-cycle MHD generators, were investigated in the visible and near-i.r. regions by using a Hilger-Watts medium quartz spectrograph. A number of argon and cesium lines was observed, as well as some lines originating from the impurities present in the cesium capsule. The molecular bands of aluminum monoxide have also been detected. The population temperatures estimated from relative intensities of cesium lines lie below those obtained by using either the line-reversal method or recombination-radiation measurements. The intensities of some neutral cesium lines follow the Boltzmann population relation at the population temperature. The Zeeman effect and reversed profiles of cesium resonance lines were not observed because of low resolution of the spectrograph used and because of light scattering on the film.