Stark Broadening of Spectral Lines in Plasmas

Abstract

Laboratory and astrophysical plasmas contain various types of electric fields, such as the ion microfield, the electron microfield, fields of different kinds of the electrostatic plasma turbulence, and laser/maser fields penetrating into plasmas. All these kinds of electric fields, differing by their statistical properties, strength, frequency, and possible polarization, cause a garden variety of the types of Stark broadening of spectral lines in plasmas. Therefore, experimental and theoretical studies of Stark broadening of spectral lines in plasmas are the cornerstone of a large number of spectroscopic diagnostics of laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. As such, they are very important both fundamentally and practically, the latter being due to numerous practical applications of plasmas: from the controlled thermonuclear fusion to plasma-based lasers and plasma sources of incoherent x-ray radiation, as well as technological microwave discharges. The purpose of this Special Issues of Atoms is to review advances in this area achieved in recent years, as well as to present new original papers building up on these advances. It is intended to publish this Special Issue also as a book.