Experimental methods for laboratory measurements of helium spectral line broadening in white dwarf photospheres
Abstract
White Dwarf (WD) stars are the most common stellar remnant in the universe. WDs usually have a hydrogen or helium atmosphere, and helium WD (called DB) spectra can be used to solve outstanding problems in stellar and galactic evolution. DB origins, which are still a mystery, must be known to solve these problems. DB masses are crucial for discriminating between different proposed DB evolutionary hypotheses. Current DB mass determination methods deliver conflicting results. The spectroscopic mass determination method relies on line broadening models that have not been validated at DB atmosphere conditions. We performed helium benchmark experiments using the White Dwarf Photosphere Experiment (WDPE) platform at Sandia National Laboratories' Z-machine that aims to study He line broadening at DB conditions. Using hydrogen/helium mixture plasmas allows investigating the importance of He Stark and van der Waals broadening simultaneously. Accurate experimental data reduction methods are essential to test these line-broadening theories. In this paper, we present data calibration methods for these benchmark He line shape experiments. We give a detailed account of data processing, spectral power calibrations, and instrument broadening measurements. Uncertainties for each data calibration step are also derived. We demonstrate that our experiments meet all benchmark experiment accuracy requirements: WDPEmore »
- Authors:
-
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1810378
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1797609
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2021-7483J
Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X; 697240; TRN: US2213031
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525; NA0003843; NA-0003525; NA-0003843
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physics of Plasmas
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 28; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; absorption spectroscopy; mass measurement; stellar structure and properties; data processing; chemical elements; streak cameras; emission spectroscopy; Stark effect
Citation Formats
Schaeuble, M. -A., Nagayama, T., Bailey, J. E., Dunlap, B. H., and Patel, S. Experimental methods for laboratory measurements of helium spectral line broadening in white dwarf photospheres. United States: N. p., 2021.
Web. doi:10.1063/5.0047931.
Schaeuble, M. -A., Nagayama, T., Bailey, J. E., Dunlap, B. H., & Patel, S. Experimental methods for laboratory measurements of helium spectral line broadening in white dwarf photospheres. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0047931
Schaeuble, M. -A., Nagayama, T., Bailey, J. E., Dunlap, B. H., and Patel, S. Fri .
"Experimental methods for laboratory measurements of helium spectral line broadening in white dwarf photospheres". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0047931. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1810378.
@article{osti_1810378,
title = {Experimental methods for laboratory measurements of helium spectral line broadening in white dwarf photospheres},
author = {Schaeuble, M. -A. and Nagayama, T. and Bailey, J. E. and Dunlap, B. H. and Patel, S.},
abstractNote = {White Dwarf (WD) stars are the most common stellar remnant in the universe. WDs usually have a hydrogen or helium atmosphere, and helium WD (called DB) spectra can be used to solve outstanding problems in stellar and galactic evolution. DB origins, which are still a mystery, must be known to solve these problems. DB masses are crucial for discriminating between different proposed DB evolutionary hypotheses. Current DB mass determination methods deliver conflicting results. The spectroscopic mass determination method relies on line broadening models that have not been validated at DB atmosphere conditions. We performed helium benchmark experiments using the White Dwarf Photosphere Experiment (WDPE) platform at Sandia National Laboratories' Z-machine that aims to study He line broadening at DB conditions. Using hydrogen/helium mixture plasmas allows investigating the importance of He Stark and van der Waals broadening simultaneously. Accurate experimental data reduction methods are essential to test these line-broadening theories. In this paper, we present data calibration methods for these benchmark He line shape experiments. We give a detailed account of data processing, spectral power calibrations, and instrument broadening measurements. Uncertainties for each data calibration step are also derived. We demonstrate that our experiments meet all benchmark experiment accuracy requirements: WDPE wavelength uncertainties are <1 Å, spectral powers can be determined to within 15%, densities are accurate at the 20% level, and instrumental broadening can be measured with 20% accuracy. Fulfilling these stringent requirements enables WDPE experimental data to provide physically meaningful conclusions about line broadening at DB conditions.},
doi = {10.1063/5.0047931},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 6,
volume = 28,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2021},
month = {Fri Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2021}
}
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