Plasma Temperature and Electron Density Determination Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) in Earth’s and Mars’s Atmospheres

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to calculate and compare the plasma temperatures and electron densities from the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) data collected by NASA’s Martian rover and compare them to samples measured in Earth’s atmosphere. Using the Boltzmann plots, LIBS plasma temperatures were obtained for each site. The analysis focused on titanium lines that were located in the spectral region between 300 and 310 nm. The electron density was measured using the Stark broadening of the hydrogen line at 656.6 nm; the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of this line can be measured and correlated to the electron density of the plasma. Due to a neighboring carbon peak with the hydrogen line seen in many of the spectra from the Martian sites, the FWHM needed to be calculated using a computer program that completed the other side of the hydrogen line and then it calculated the FWHM for those data samples affected by this. The plasma temperatures and electron densities of the Martian sites were compared to LIBS samples taken on Earth.

Effect of LIBS-Induced Alteration on Subsequent Raman Analysis of Iron Sulfides

“…Similar results were found for pyrrhotite (∼5200 K for vacuum, ∼7000 K for 7 mbar, and ∼6550 K for 1 bar conditions). Significantly higher temperatures were derived in the analysis of the spectra in the laboratory Martian simulation conditions (12,000–17,000 K) and in situ measurements (12,000–35,000 K) with the ChemCam instrument, which utilizes higher energy Gaussian-like beams. We note here that plasma temperature cannot serve as a proper metric for an accurate comparison between observations at different pressures due to its dynamic change on a μs time scale .…”

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Analysis of Sheet Molding Compound Materials

“…When the plasma is in a state of Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE), the selfabsorption effect of spectral lines can be neglected, and the spectral line intensity satisfies the following equation [29]: According to the findings in Section 3.2.3, a positive correlation exists between ablation depth and the number of laser pulses. Consequently, observing the relationship between element content and depth within the testing range can lead to the following conclusions:…”

“…When the plasma is in a state of Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE), the selfabsorption effect of spectral lines can be neglected, and the spectral line intensity satisfies the following equation [29]:…”

Calibration free laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry (CF-LAMIS) for boron isotopic composition determination

“…In the contour plot, these To understand the formation of the S/E ratio ridge in the E L vs. t d map for molecular spectra, the plasma temperatures were estimated using the Boltzmann plot. 48,49 Due to the lack of many Paper JAAS atomic or ionic emission lines in the B element, a boric acid pallet containing 1000 ppmw Fe 2 O 3 impurity was prepared, and its LIBS spectra were taken. Spectra were recorded under identical analysis conditions to those used for the construction of Fig.…”