In atomic physics, Doppler broadening is the broadening of spectral lines due to the Doppler effect in which the thermal movement of atoms or molecules shifts the apparent frequency of each emitter. The many different velocities of the emitting gas result in many small shifts, the cumulative effect of which is to broaden the line. The broadening is dependent only on the wavelength of the line, the mass of the emitting particle and the temperature, and can therefore be a very useful method for measuring the temperature of an emitting gas.

The Doppler profile in wavelength is a normal distribution with a standard deviation of

$\backslash Delta\backslash lambda=\backslash lambda\_0\backslash sqrt\{\backslash frac\{kT\}\{mc^2\}\}$

where $\backslash lambda\_0$ is the center wavelength of the profile, $c$ is the speed of light, $T$ is the temperature, $k$ is the Boltzmann constant and $m$ the mass of the atom. For widths that are much smaller than the central wavelength, the Doppler profile in frequency is also a normal distribution with standard deviation

$\backslash Delta\backslash nu=\backslash nu\_0\backslash sqrt\{\backslash frac\{kT\}\{mc^2\}\}$

where $\backslash nu\_0=c/\backslash lambda\_0$ is the central frequency. The widths are sometimes characterized by the full width at half maximum of the profile (FWHM) which is related to the standard deviation $\backslash sigma$ by:

$FWHM=2\backslash sigma\backslash sqrt\{2\backslash ln(2)\}$

Nuclear technology

In a nuclear reactor, this effect reduces the power generated as the reactor temperature increases.

When a reactor gets hotter, the accelerated motion of the atoms in the fuel increases the probability of neutron capture by U-238 atoms. When the uranium is heated, its nuclei move more rapidly in random directions, and therefore see and generate a wider range of relative neutron speeds. U-238, which forms the bulk of the uranium in the reactor, is much more likely to absorb fast neutrons.^* This reduces the number of neutrons available to cause U-235 fission, reducing the power output by the reactor.

In some reactor designs, such as the pebble bed reactor, this natural negative feedback places an inherent upper limit on the temperature of the fuel—without any operator intervention. Such reactors are said to be "inherently safe" because a reactor failure cannot generate a criticality excursion.

Astronomy

In Astronomy, Doppler broadening is one of the explanations for the broadening of spectral lines, and as such gives an indication for the relative temperatures of observed material. There are, however many other factors which can broaden the lines as well. For example high gravity (a sign of small stars) leads to high pressure leads to Stark-broadening (see Spectral line).

Doppler effects | Scattering