On the Use of Vacuum Ultraviolet Absorption as a Measure of Temperature in Rare Gas Plasmas

摘要

Properties of shocked rare gas plasmas can be investigated with the use of absorption in the vacuum-ultraviolet. It has been shown that an equilibrium temperature behind the shock can be obtained, if the strong shock approximation is valid. In this paper, it is shown that this experimental technique can be used to determine temperature even in unshocked gases. A survey of available photoionization cross sections is made, and improvements in the experimental method are suggested. (Author)