Plasma spectroscopy

Plasma spectroscopy is a diagnostic tool which is most suitable for the measurement of the behaviour of impurity ions, e.g. density, temperature and velocity distributions, also in high temperature plasmas. In most cases accurate knowledge of atomic properties, like emitted wavelengths, transition probabilities and collision cross sections is needed; but some quantities can be measured quite straightforwardly. This paper undertakes to give an introduction in the field, but will refer for more detailed descriptions to the existing literature. An overview of both theoretical and experimental methods will be attempted,with an emphasis on practical applicability.