Incoherent Thomson scattering: future implementation and measurement capabilities on the PANDORA experiment

• Published in: Frontiers in astronomy and space sciences Vol. 9
• Main Authors: Tsikata, S., Maunoury, L., Ducret, J-E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media 17.08.2022; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Astrophysics; electron cyclotron resonance (ECR); electron density; electron temperature; incoherent Thomson scattering; incoherent Thomson scattering, electron density, laser diagnostics, electron temperature, electron cyclotron resonance (ECR), stellar plasmas, magnetic trap; laser diagnostics; Physics; Plasma Physics; stellar plasmas
• ISSN: 2296-987X; 2296-987X
• DOI: 10.3389/fspas.2022.936532

The PANDORA (Plasmas for Astrophysics Nuclear Decays Observation and Radiation for Archaeometry) experiment aims to study the β -decay process inside a dense plasma mimicking stellar conditions. An electron cyclotron resonance plasma trap will be built at INFN-LNS in Catania, Italy, for the generation of the desired conditions in the laboratory. This type of non-equilibrium dense plasma (reaching densities of up to 10 13  cm −3 ) is expected to generate electron energy distribution functions with electron energies ranging from tens of eV up to tens of keV. In this work, we describe aspects of a planned implementation of an incoherent Thomson scattering diagnostic for the study of electron properties in the plasma trap of PANDORA. The performance of this high-sensitivity diagnostic, known as THETIS, has been previously validated in measurements across a range of low-density magnetized plasma environments and it is expected to provide access to electron energy information in PANDORA in the range of temperatures from 1 to 10 3  eV. This article will establish the potential of such a diagnostic for future characterization of the electron properties in the PANDORA experiment.