The effect of line-broadening on the overall width of transition arrays in dense plasmas

Experiments have been performed, using the HELEN laser, to measure absorption spectra in the temperature range 20-60 eV and density range 0.5-3 g/cm3. K-shell spectra of aluminium were studied to investigate the effect of the plasma environment on the absorption spectrum. The experiments show the effect, at high-density, of array broadening and the merging of high series lines. Comparisons of the experimental absorption data to different opacity models are discussed. The experimental data are compared to calculations of the CASSANDRA opacity model, with and without the inclusion of electron impact broadening. The CASSANDRA code is in better agreement with experiment with electron impact broadening included. The data were also compared to the OPAL detailed term accounting model with reasonable agreement.