Plasma-based studies with intense X-ray and particle beam sources

The construction of short pulse (

He-like x-ray line emission from laser irradiated sources

Photon yields for the 1s(2)-1s2p (He-alpha) transition of He- like ions have been measured for laser irradiated, thin foils of Ti, V and Fe. The laser pulses were of 0.527 mum wavelength and of either 80 or 300 ps duration. The data shows significant shot-to-shot variation but the Ti data is broadly consistent with previous results. In this work, we extend the previous results to include, new elements, longer pulse lengths and yields measured for emission from both surfaces of the foils. We compare our data to simulations using a hydrodynamic code and a collisional radiative model.

Finite temperature dense matter studies on next-generation light sources

The construction of short-pulse tunable soft x-ray free electron laser sources based on the self-amplified spontaneous emission process will provide a major advance in capability for dense plasma-related and warm dense matter (WDM) research. The sources will provide 10(13) photons in a 200-fs duration pulse that is tunable from approximately 6 to 100 nm. Here we discuss only two of the many applications made possible for WDM that has been severely hampered by the fact that laser-based methods have been unavailable because visible light will not propagate at electron densities of n(e) greater than or equal to 10(22) cm(-3). The next-generation light sources will remove these restrictions.

Scale-length optimising of short pulse Cu K-alpha laser plasma sources

The authors present experimental results showing how the use of a high contrast femtosecond laser system allows better optimization of K emission from a Cu target. The shorter scale-length preformed plasma is better optimized for resonance absorption of the laser light when the laser is moved away from best focus. The experimental data show a central peak of K emission at tight focus with strong secondary peaks at large offset. The use of these secondary peaks results in a much reduced hard x-ray background and should lead to shorter K pulses than at tight focus.

Isotopic Assessment of Sources of Surface Water Nitrate within the Oldman River Basin, Southern Alberta, Canada

Concentrations and isotopic compositions of NO-3 from the Oldman River (OMR) and some of its tributaries (Alberta, Canada) have been determined on a monthly basis since December 2000 to assess temporal and spatial variations of riverine NO-3 sources within the OMR basin. For the OMR sites, NO-3 -N concentrations reached up to 0.34 mg L-1, d15N-NO-3 values varied between –0.3 and +13.8‰, and d18O-NO-3 values ranged from –10.0 to +5.7‰. For the tributary sites, NO-3 -N concentrations were as high as 8.81 mg L-1, d15N-NO-3 values varied between –2.5 and +23.4‰, and d18O-NO-3 values ranged from –15.2 to +3.4‰. Tributaries in the western, relatively pristine forested part of the watershed add predominantly NO-3 to the OMR with d15N-NO-3 indicative of soil nitrification. In contrast, tributaries in the eastern agriculturally-urban-industrially-used part of the basin contribute NO-3 with d15N-NO-3 values of about +16‰ indicative of manure and/or sewage derived NO-3. This difference in d15N-NO-3 values of tributaries was found to be independent of the season, but rather indicates a spatial change in the NO-3 source, which correlates with land use changes within the OMR basin. As a consequence of tributary influx, d15N-NO-3 values in the Oldman River increased from +6‰ in the downstream direction (W to E), although [NO-3 -N] increased only moderately (generally

Isotopic assessment of sources and processes affecting sulfate and nitrate in surface water and groundwater of Luxembourg

Surface water and deep and shallow groundwater samples were taken from selected parts of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg to determine the isotopic composition of nitrate and sulfate, in order to identify sources and/or processes affecting these solutes. Deep groundwater had sulfate concentrations between 20 and 40 mg/L, d34Ssulfate values between -3.0 and -20.0‰, and d18Osulfate values between +1.5 and +5.0‰; nitrate was characterized by concentrations varying between