Determination of the electron density in a high-temperature laboratory plasma form the structure of the satellites of resonance lines of multiply charged helium-like ions

An experimental investigation was made of the satellite structure of a resonance line of He-like ions in a plasma heated by λ = 10.6 μm radiation form a high-power pulsed electron-beam-controlled CO₂ laser. A method was developed for objective comparison of the experimental and theoretical distributions, on the wavelength scale, of the intensities of satellites of resonance lines of multiply charged ions with the aid of the least-squares estimates. This method was used as the basis of a practical determination of the electron density in a high-temperature laser plasma.