Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 March 2009
Taking into account the emission and absorption of resonance radiation in a recombining laser-produced plasma of intermediate density, the system of rate equations for the population densities coupled with the radiative transfer equation is approximately treated. In the case of spatially varying absorption we derive an approximate form of the rate equation determining the population density of the upper resonance level. By applying this relation to an axially symmetric plasma a simple formula that describes the effect of radiation reabsorption on the spatial behaviour of the population density is obtained.