A comparison of time-dependent Cloudy astrophysical code simulations with experimental X-ray spectra from keV laser-generated argon plasmas

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Rathee, N., Keenan, F. P., Williams, R. J. R., Ferland, G. J., Rose, S. J., White, S., Riley, D.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Rathee, N.
Keenan, F. P.
Williams, R. J. R.
Ferland, G. J.
Rose, S. J.
White, S.
Riley, D.
author_facet Rathee, N.
Keenan, F. P.
Williams, R. J. R.
Ferland, G. J.
Rose, S. J.
White, S.
Riley, D.
contents We have generated strongly photoionized Ar plasmas in experiments designed to use primarily X-ray L-shell line emission generated from Ag foils irradiated by the VULCAN high-power laser at the UK Central Laser Facility. The principle of the experiment is that use of line emission rather than the usual sub-keV quasi-blackbody source allows keV radiation to play a more dominant role compared to softer X-rays and thus mimic the effect of a blackbody with a higher effective spectral temperature. Our aim is to reproduce in the laboratory the extreme photoionization conditions found in accretion-powered astrophysical sources. In this paper, we compare the experimental results on K-$β$ X-ray Ar spectra with modelling using the time-dependent version of the Cloudy astrophysical code. The results indicate that photoionized laboratory plasmas can be successfully modelled with codes such as Cloudy that have been developed for application to astrophysical sources. Our comparison of simulation and experiment shows that the flux of sub-keV photons that photoionize the outer-shell electrons can have a significant effect, and that detailed measurements of the X-ray drive spectrum across all photon energy ranges are crucial for accurate modelling of experiments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_14538
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A comparison of time-dependent Cloudy astrophysical code simulations with experimental X-ray spectra from keV laser-generated argon plasmas
Rathee, N.
Keenan, F. P.
Williams, R. J. R.
Ferland, G. J.
Rose, S. J.
White, S.
Riley, D.
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
We have generated strongly photoionized Ar plasmas in experiments designed to use primarily X-ray L-shell line emission generated from Ag foils irradiated by the VULCAN high-power laser at the UK Central Laser Facility. The principle of the experiment is that use of line emission rather than the usual sub-keV quasi-blackbody source allows keV radiation to play a more dominant role compared to softer X-rays and thus mimic the effect of a blackbody with a higher effective spectral temperature. Our aim is to reproduce in the laboratory the extreme photoionization conditions found in accretion-powered astrophysical sources. In this paper, we compare the experimental results on K-$β$ X-ray Ar spectra with modelling using the time-dependent version of the Cloudy astrophysical code. The results indicate that photoionized laboratory plasmas can be successfully modelled with codes such as Cloudy that have been developed for application to astrophysical sources. Our comparison of simulation and experiment shows that the flux of sub-keV photons that photoionize the outer-shell electrons can have a significant effect, and that detailed measurements of the X-ray drive spectrum across all photon energy ranges are crucial for accurate modelling of experiments.
title A comparison of time-dependent Cloudy astrophysical code simulations with experimental X-ray spectra from keV laser-generated argon plasmas
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.14538