Structure and Spectra of Highly Charged Ions

Abstract

The line spectra of highly charged ions are mostly studied in high-temperature laboratory sources (tokamak discharges, low-inductance sparks, exploding wires, laser-produced plasmas) and astrophysical plasmas (solar flares and active regions). Such spectra are widely used for plasma diagnostics, providing important information on plasma densities and temperatures, chemical impurities and other parameters. An increase in plasma temperature leads to an increase of the ionization stages of heavy elements, which radiate spectral lines mostly in the vacuum ultra-violet (vuv) and x-ray regions. Along with the usual, traditional methods for plasma diagnostics in the visible and uv regions, diagnostic methods which are new in principle and are closely connected with features of the spectra of multiply charged ions are possible in the vuv and x-ray regions.