Nonthermal effects on hydrogen-line profiles

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Abstract
Experimentally determined level populations of hydrogen excited states from a low-density Z pinch are used as initial conditions in a simulation to derive electron-velocity distributions. These velocity distributions show excess electrons in the high velocity end of the distribution when compared to a Maxwellian velocity distribution. The non-Maxwellian velocity distributions are used to find the nonequilibrium structure factors which are a main component in the plasma line broadening of hydrogen lines. The line profiles generated using the structure factors show plasmon satellites on the wings of the Balmer-α- and -β-line profiles.