Atomic Physics in Dense Plasmas

Dear Colleagues,

The emission of light is one of the most fascinating phenomena in nature. Since the discovery of spectral analysis, no one doubted that the problems of describing atoms and matter would be solved once we learned to understand the language of atomic spectra. While atomic physics of free atoms is presently one of the most precise sciences available, atoms immersed in plasmas experience various perturbations, which lead to a definite distribution of the atoms with regard to excited states as well as to changes in excited state wave functions themselves. Corresponding atomic structure and collisional-radiative theories are controversially discussed. In addition, the discussions suffer from a lack of suitable experiments and diagnostics that allow one to isolate well-diagnosed samples and to expose them to a variety of controlled parameter changes.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to identify dedicated problems in dense plasma atomic physics theory and to correlate them with appropriate experimental conditions and diagnostic methods. In order to challenge theory for specific parts, particular interest is devoted to X-ray spectroscopic diagnostics, including X-ray Thomson scattering, high-intensity and high-energy laser-produced plasmas, X-Ray Free Electron Laser interaction with dense matter, pinch plasmas, radiation sources, collisional-radiative properties and radiation transport, non-equilibrium phenomena, ionization potential depression, X-ray line shifts, perturbed atomic structure, mixed atomic states, cross sections and rates of elementary atomic physics processes perturbed by the dense plasma environment.

The Issue will familiarize readers with the challenging field of atomic physics of dense plasmas and matter under extreme conditions. The material is of fundamental interest and also has important applications in astrophysics, fusion science and is of great relevance for almost all interactions of high-intensity lasers and X-Ray Free Electron Lasers with dense matter.

The Special Issue “Atomic Physics in Dense Plasmas” invites original and review papers and will be published as a printed book available also in open access for higher visibility. Concerning the article process charge please contact the guest editor.

Prof. Dr. Frank B. Rosmej
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the Special Issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atoms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.