INVESTIGATIONS IN THE VACUUM ULTRAVIOLET OF A STEADY STATE NITROGEN PLASMA.

摘要

In preparation for studies of shock waves in a collisionless plasma, a grazing incidence vacuum spectrograph has been used to study the vacuum ultraviolet spectra of a nitrogen plasma. The spectra are formed by a concave grating with a 1-meter radius of curvature and recorded on Kodak SWR (Shortwave-Radiation) Film. Analysis of the spectra was by comparison with helium and argon spectra,with intensity information from densitometric measurement. Relative intensity determination provides an electron temperature evaluation technique. Details on the modification of the Naval Postgraduate School plasma facility to accommodate a theta-pinch shock generation experiment are presented. A total of 735lines was observed in the range 300-2000angstroms. Relative intensity measurements indicated electron temperatures in the range 7.3to 19.7electron volts. (Author)