Spectroscopic analysis of hydrogen ice pellet ablation

M. Goto, R. Sakamoto, S. Morita, H. Yamada, and LHD Experimental Group

National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki 509-5292, Japan

A strong radiation from a hydrogen ice pellet cloud is observed in the Large Helical Device (LHD). The radiation typically continues about 400 μs, and spectra in a wavelength range that is wide enough to include all the Balmer series lines of neutral hydrogen are taken every 16 μs. The emission lines exhibit typical Stark broadening profiles, and the electron density is deduced through fittings of Balmer β and γ lines. The Balmer α line is found appreciably distorted by the self-reabsorption effect and from a fitting of the line profile with the help of a one-dimensional radiation transport model the plasma length in the direction of our line of sight is determined. A significant strength of continuum radiation is also detected and it is understood as a superposition of two components which accompany the radiative recombination (H+ + e → H + ) and radiative attachment (H + e → H+ + ) processes, respectively. The electron temperature is obtained from the profiles of the two continuum radiations and their intensities yield the plasma volume and neutral atom density. The density ratio of the electron and neutral atom suggests the plasma condition is near to a complete LTE. Similar analyses are carried out for the spectra from other time slices, and the temporal variations of various plasma parameters are determined.