Simulations of a Maxwellian plasma using an electron beam ion trap

Using the Lawrence-Livermore electron beam ion trap (LLNL-EBIT), we produce a quasi-Maxwellian plasma by sweeping the energy of the nearly monoenergetic beam so the time spent an any energy is proportional to the Maxwell-Boltzmann probability at that energy. To verify the accuracy of the quasi-Maxwellian, we measure line emission due to dielectronic recombination (DR) and electron impact excitation (EIE) of Mg10+ and Ne8+, for a range of simulated temperatures. The ratio of DR to EIE lines in heliumlike ions is a well understood temperature diagnostic. The spectroscopically inferred temperatures are in excellent agreement with the simulated temperatures.