Modelling the position of analyte emission maxima in low temperature direct current arc plasma using statistical procedures

Abstract

In low temperature argon arc plasma, emission spectral lines of different analytes have characteristic radial distributions with emission maxima distributed over a wide plasma region, from the arc axis toward the arc periphery. It was assumed that the occurrence of emission maxima is a result of collective action of factors that control vaporization, dissociation, excitation, ionization and analyte transport. A statistical analysis was used to reveal a correlation between these various factors and a radial position of maximum emission. A regression analysis was used both for predictive and explanatory purposes: a model was built that successfully predicted analyte spatial emission characteristics, based on their physical properties and local plasma parameters, and a relative importance of proposed predictors was estimated. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.