title: Development of a polarization resolved spectroscopic diagnostic for measurements of the vector magnetic field in the Caltech coaxial magnetized plasma jet experiment.
abstract: In the Caltech coaxial magnetized plasma jet experiment, fundamental studies are carried out relevant to spheromak formation, astrophysical jet formation/propagation, solar coronal physics, and the general behavior of twisted magnetic flux tubes that intercept a boundary. In order to measure the spatial profile of the magnetic field vector for understanding the underlying physics governing the dynamical behavior, a non-perturbing visible emission spectroscopic method is implemented to observe the Zeeman splitting in emission spectra. We have designed and constructed a polarization-resolving optical system that can simultaneously detect the left- and right-circularly polarized emission. The system is applied to singly ionized nitrogen spectral lines. The magnetic field strength is measured with a precision of about ±13 mT. The radial profiles of the azimuthal and axial vector magnetic field components are resolved by using an inversion method.
authors: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Shikama
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Bellan