RADIATION CONTINUUM OF DENSE KRYPTON PLASMA

Available experimental data on the continuum radiation in the visible spectrum of dense krypton plasmas are considered and compared with cal culations. Variations of the continuum spectra. with the plasma densit y are examined. For the calculation of weakly nonideal plasmas spectra a simple analytical method based on semiclassical quantum defect theo ry is presented. It takes into account the shift and smoothing of the photoionization thresholds resulting from the influence of the statist ical plasma quasistatic microfields on the higher atomic levels. For N -e less than or equal to 10(17) cm(-3) the experiment and theory are i n close general agreement, while for N-e approximate to 10(18) cm(-3) theory tends to overestimate the experimental plasma absorption (emiss ion) data. General features of density effects in plasma radiation and the possible breakdown of the isolated atom picture are discussed.