UV/VIS Spectroscopy of Ni I and II with Comparisons to Cometary Spectra

Laboratory-based spectroscopy of isolated atoms provides critical insight into astrophysical spectrum. Here we present UV/Vis spectroscopy of Ni I and Ni II. The measurements were performed at the Compact Toroidal Hybrid (CTH) plasma experiment at Auburn University. We report comparison of the observed lines with previous measurements as well as present on a number of previously unreported lines, the majority of which have been emitted from higher lying states due to the high electron temperature at the CTH. These laboratory spectra are expected to be relevant for analyzing the presence of metals, specifically nickel, in observed comet spectra.