Transformation of Observed Radiances into Radial Distribution of the Emission of a Plasma

A new method for transforming observed radiances into the radial distribution of the emission of a plasma is described. It is applicable to optically thin plasmas with cylindrical or spherical symmetry, which are often encountered in plasma physics and astrophysics. The observations are introduced as a sequence of n readings on the experimental curve, which are then transformed to a set of values for the emission coefficient. The transformation coefficients are tabulated for n=10, n=20, and, in part, for n=40. The method is more accurate than previously published ones and is well suited for rapid calculation by electronic computers. The sources of errors are discussed and a numerical method for smoothing the readings is suggested.