Atomic Polarization Spectroscopy - Relativistic Dynamics of Electrons in Strong Fields

Our young investigators group is funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within the Emmy Noether Programme to study fundamental atomic electromagnetic interactions. We study fundamental processes of photon-matter interaction in the realm of heavy atomic systems. In particular polarization properties of Radiative and Dielectronic recombination (inverse Photoelectric and Auger effects) are investigated experimentally in the hard x-ray regime with novel Compton polarimeters. The GSI ESR storage ring and the newly developed Stockholm S-EBIT are used for production and experiments with the heaviest highly charged ions up to bare uranium, i.e. up to the limits of atomic matter. The investigated processes determine the charge balance and the photon emission of very hot plasmas found in interstellar and fusion environments. In addition they may lead to spin-polarization diagnostics of relativistic heavy ion and electron beams. Such techniques are demanded for nuclear physics and tests of the Standard Model of elementary particles and interactions.