Spectroscopy of compressed high energy density matter

A theoretical and experimental time-resolved spectroscopic investigation of indirectly driven microsphere implosions is described. The plasma dynamics is studied for several fill gases with a trace amount of argon. Through an analysis of the line profile of ArXVII 1s2 endash 1s3p1P, with a line center position at Eυ=3684 eV, the evolution of the plasma density and temperature as a function of fill gas is examined. The theoretical calculations are performed with a fast computer code, which has been previously benchmarked through the analysis of specific complex ionic spectra in hot dense plasmas. The experimental aspect of the work utilizes the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Nova 10 beam laser facility to indirectly drive the implosion of a gas filled plastic microsphere contained in a gold Holhraum target. The dynamical density measurement is derived from a streak camera linewidth measurement and a comparison with the computed profile. Calculations demonstrate that in certain cases there can be a substantial ion dynamics effect on the line shape. The frequency fluctuation model is used to compute the effect on the line profile and a comparison with the experimental spectra provides evidence that ion dynamics may be affecting the line shape. This study provides a method for obtaining an improved understanding of the basic processes dominating the underlying plasma physics of matter compressed to a state of high energy density. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society