Study of X-ray photoionized Fe plasma and comparisons with astrophysical modeling codes

The charge state distributions of Fe, Na and F are determined in a photoionized laboratory plasma using high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy. Independent measurements of the density and radiation flux indicate the ionization parameter ξ in the plasma reaches values ξ=20-25ergcms-1 under near steady-state conditions. A curve-of-growth analysis, which includes the effects of velocity gradients in a one-dimensional expanding plasma, fits the observed line opacities. Absorption lines are tabulated in the wavelength region 8-17Å. Initial comparisons with a number of astrophysical X-ray photoionization models show reasonable agreement.