Gigagauss magnetic field measurements using Zeeman broadening of Ne-like transitions in highly charged ions.

The measurement of gigagauss magnetic fields using Zeeman broadening of Ne-like transitions in highly charged ions in high energy density plasmas is investigated. The transition in Xe44+ from the (2p51/23d3/2)J=1 level to the (2p6)J=0 ground level, designated 3C and having 4.858 keV transition energy, is considered in detail. Ne-like Xe spectra were previously recorded from compressed Xe-filled capsules, and the plasma conditions were determined from spectral line ratios and atomic code modeling. Using the Paschen–Back expression for Zeeman broadening produced by strong magnetic fields and the plasma conditions from the compressed Xe-filled capsule experiments to estimate the competing Stark, Doppler, and turbulence broadenings, it is found that >0.34 GG fields can be determined from spectra recorded by a high-resolution spectrometer having 1 eV resolution (5000 resolving power). By scaling the plasma conditions to higher temperatures and densities, the minimum detectable magnetic field is determined for Zeeman broadening of the 3C transition in Ne-like ions up to U82+. Recently developed transmission-crystal spectrometers, employing a cylindrically bent crystal in the Cauchois configuration, have sufficient resolution to determine gigagauss magnetic fields from Zeeman broadening of Ne-like transitions in the 4–18 keV range in Xe44+ to U82+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]