Line-by-line method of calculating emission coefficients of thermal plasmas consisting of monatomic species

Summary form only given, as follows. To accurately model a plasma´s thermal characteristics reliable radiation property data is required. We have written a program which calculates these properties. This program utilizes a theoretically rigorous method for obtaining radiation property data of thermal plasmas composed of monatomic, nonhydrogenic species. A computationally expensive, line-by-line technique is utilized. Natural, van der Waals, resonance and quadratic Stark broadening mechanisms are included in determining the line half-widths. In addition to line radiation, free-bound continuum and free-free continuum for both ions and neutral particles are considered. The fundamental specific radiation property determined by the program is the optically thin emission coefficient as a function of the wavelength. From this property the wavelength dependent, optically thin absorption coefficient is easily determined. Properties that are more suitable for engineering analysis, such as the wavelength integrated, optically thin emission coefficient and the net emission coefficient are also calculated. An overview of the method of calculating the radiation properties is given. Comparisons are made to published wavelength integrated, optically thin emission coefficients for argon plasmas obtained from experimental measurements and to some published net emission coefficients for argon/copper plasmas calculated with an analytical technique different than that used here. In addition to the comparison data some additional results on the effect of copper impurities in argon are presented.