Calculated Ar XVII line intensities and comparison with spectra from the Alcator C tokamak

Using calculations of collisional excitation rates in He-like argon (Ar XVII) and intensity factors and other data for nearby dielectronic satellites, X-ray line spectra have been synthesized as a function of electron temperature and density. The Ar XVII excitation rates were obtained from interpolations of R-matrix calculations, and are likely to be the best available at present. The resulting spectra are compared with spectra observed from high-temperature plasmas in the Alcator C tokamak. The agreement between observed spectra and those calculated using measured values of temperature and density illustrates the accuracy of the calculations, though there are small discrepancies which are likely to be connected with wavelengths or intensity factors for the Ar XVI satellites. Thus, argon X-ray line spectra can serve as a means of diagnosing low-density, astrophysical (in particular solar-flare) plasmas for which there is no independent means of measuring temperatures.