Refrigerated electron beam ion trap (REBIT) combines a compressed electron beam with a magnetically trapped ion plasma. New cryogenic vacuum technology allows the trap to remain at superconducting temperatures without liquid Helium, simplifying maintenance and operations and making the REBIT portable. Scientists at the CfA plan to use the REBIT to study atomic processes at work in astrophysical sources.

Unlike an astrophysical source, the REBIT plasma can be controlled. Only one element can be studied at a time, and the ionization state of the plasma can be dialed by changing the energy of the electron beam. The high energy spectrum can then be measured using an X-ray microcalorimeter or other detector.

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Nancy Brickhouse, Eric Silver, Kate Kirby, Kelly Chance, Roger Brissenden