Energy shifts of K- and L-lines as spectroscopic diagnostic of Z-pinch plasmas

Abstract

Ultrafast molybdenum wire implosions on the Z machine at Sandia produce intense pulses of multi-keV x-rays from partially ionized plasmas. The most intense radiation comes from a hot, dense core of thermal plasma in ionization equilibrium with Mo ionized to within the L-shell. Non-thermal, energetic electrons in the plasma generate Kα and Kβ radiation, whose energy is affected by Mo's ionization state, and therefore on the plasma temperature. Based on an extensive series of recent computations on this effect, we recalculate the pinch' Mo x-ray spectrum, with reasonable results.