Interrogation of laboratory photoionized plasmas using interferometry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy on the Z-machine.

Photoionized plasma dynamics are crucial for understanding the universe we exist in. Laboratory astrophysics experiments play a critical role in developing this understanding. Two interferometry probes spaced 4mm apart were incorporated into a photoionized gas cell experiment on Z and used to measure electron density and assess gas cell plasma uniformity. The interferometer uses a novel implementation of photon Doppler velocimetry (PDV) to measure electron density time histories with ~1ns time resolution at multiple locations. The neon and argon K-shell line absorption spectra were measured with an elliptical crystal spectrometer equipped with KAP and PET crystals to observe the spectral ranges 850-1250eV and 2770-4575eV, respectively. The line absorption features indicate that highly ionized neon and neon/argon plasmas were produced. We will discuss the experimental set up, measurements details and the modeling and interpretation of the data.