Metastable state contributions to the measured 3p photoabsorption spectrum of Cr⁺ ions in a laser-produced plasma

Recently, the spectrum of singly ionized chromium has come under theoretical scrutiny by Dolmatov (1996 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 29 L673) and also by Donnelly et al (1997 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 30 L285). Both of these theoretical investigations, employing the spin-polarized RPAE (SPRPAE) and R-matrix techniques, respectively, concerned the 3p photoabsorption cross section from the 3d^{5 6}S_5/2 ground state of Cr⁺. The two calculations are consistent with each other and agree with the previously reported experimental data for the 3p4s resonances and the onset of the 3p3d giant resonance (Costello 1991 Phys. Rev. A 43 1441). However, beyond the peak of the giant resonance, both calculations result in cross sections which differ considerably from the experimental data. From further dual-laser plasma experiments carried out under different spatio-temporal conditions and atomic structure calculations on metastable states this discrepancy can be ascribed to the presence of metastable excited singly ionized chromium within the plasma.