Lyman series profiles: From laser-plasmas to white dwarf stars

The low energy interactions of neutral and ionized hydrogen atoms are fundamental processes which also have important applications to the diagnostics of laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Satellites in the far wings of Lyman α and Lyman β have been identified as ultraviolet absorption features in the spectra of white dwarf and λ Bootis stars, and they are seen in the emission spectra of plasmas produced when a pulsed laser excites a target H2 gas. The observed Lyman series profiles agree with unified line shape theory which includes variation of the dipole transition moment during the radiative collision. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics