Determination of the Electron Density and Ion Composition Histories in a Nonequilibrium Plasma Using Self- Consistent Collisional-Radiative Calculations

Knowledge of the electron density, electron temperature, and ionic charge-state composition is essential for the understanding of the atomic-physics and hydrodynamic processes in laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Determination of these parameters with sufficient accuracy in the case of nonequilibrium, highly-dynamic plasmas interacting with strong electric and magnetic fields, is in many cases not possible. For example, determination of the electron density using direct measurements of Stark line- broadening in dense, high-current-carrying plasmas is extremely difficult due to significant contributions of additional mechanisms, such as thermal and nonthermal electric fields, large Doppler broadening, line opacities and Zeeman line-splitting.