Radiative transport in a two-dimensional axisymmetric thermal plasma using the S-N discrete ordinates method on a line-by-line basis

A theoretically rigorous method for handling the transport of radiant energy in a two-dimensional, axisymmetric, thermal plasma is presented. A S-N discrete ordinates method is used to solve the radiative equation of transfer on a line-by-line basis. A line-by-line solution of the radiative equation of transfer is an exact method of handling the spectral characteristics of thermal radiation. Plasmas are highly non-gray emitters and absorbers of radiant energy, making proper handling of the spectral characteristics extremely important. To demonstrate this method a few results are presented for a 200 A, free-burning, argon are. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.