Bayesian analysis of the effective charge from spectroscopic bremsstrahlung measurement in fusion plasmas

At the stellarator Wendelstein 7-AS (W7-AS) a spectrally resolving two channel system for the measurement of line-of-sight averaged Zeff values has been tested in preparation for its planned installation as a multichannel Zeff-profile measurement system on the stellarator Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) which is presently under construction. The measurement is performed using the bremsstrahlung intensity in the wavelength region of ultraviolet to near infrared. The spectrally resolved measurement allows to eliminate signal contamination by line radiation. For statistical data analysis a procedure based on Bayesian probability theory has been developed. With this method it is possible to estimate the bremsstrahlung background in the measured signal and its error without the necessity to fit the spectral lines. For evaluation of the random error in Zeff the signal noise has been investigated. Furthermore, the linearity and behavior of the charge-coupled device detector at saturation has been analyzed.