The paper describes the Internet service for visualization and comparative analysis of spectra that is implemented as part of the information system on atomic spectroscopy “Electronic structure of atoms”. The possibilities of representing spectra from the system database in the form of interactive spectrograms with a set of tools for convenient presentation and analysis are described. There is an opportunity for users of the information system to upload files with the data of experimental spectra to the system, as well as conduct their processing and visual analysis in comparison with the reference spectra of atomic systems stored in the system. The possibilities of using new tools for research and training specialists are discussed.
Visualization always took an important place in the presentation and analysis of scientific data. One of the most natural and effective ways of visualizing spectral data is to display them in the form of spectrograms, i.e. sets of lines corresponding to transitions placed on an axis fitting the line wavelength. This type of spectrum representation originates from optical spectroscopes in which the researcher observes a picture of the spectrum unfolded in the focal plane caused by the refraction of light in an optical prism.
The spectrum of the atomic system recorded in the database of the information resource can also be represented in the form of a spectrogram, and a number of modern information resources for atomic spectroscopy can thus display the spectra with the information about them being contained in the databases of these systems. Well-known resources in atomic spectroscopy as ASD NIST and VALD possess such properties.
It is possible to present the spectra of atomic systems in the form of spectrograms [
Figure 1 shows a screenshot demonstrating the features of work with spectrograms of IS ESA.
Along with the possibility of representing the spectral data of atomic systems using a virtual spectrograph, it is
useful to compare such reference spectrograms with those obtained in the experiment. Indeed, reference database
spectrograms are abstract and lack many elements of the real spectrogram — line broadening, sections of the
continuous spectrum, line intensity ratio, etc. This can be convenient when analyzing real spectrograms in which all
these features are present and make their reading difficult. Such possibilities of comparing experimental spectrograms
with reference spectrograms of atomic systems are often available in specialized software of modern spectrometers.
They can be helpful, for example, for detecting impurities in an experimental sample by the presence of lines in the
resulting spectrum, which are characteristic of certain substance spectra. For example, such a possibility exists in the
ATOM system [
Such opportunities are lacking in modern Internet resources for atomic spectroscopy. At the same time their availability can be useful in a number of cases when the user has an experimentally obtained spectrum and there is no specialized local software that allows such comparisons, or when it is necessary to make a comparison with the spectra that are in the database of this information resource.
The opportunity to compare experimentally obtained spectra with reference spectra of atomic systems located in the information resource database is implemented in IS ESA. For such an analysis, the user applying standard browser tools downloads a file with the experimental data containing pairs: wavelength in angstroms - intensity (relative).
In addition, the system has a constantly updated database of the most standard and frequently used experimental spectra, such as, for example, the spectrum of a mercury lamp. This opportunity in some cases can be helpful to a scientist and used for educational purposes.
The spectra comparison service in the IS ESA is based on the spectrogram construction tool of this system. The general view of the interface is shown in Fig. 2. The screenshot shows a comparison of the experimentally obtained spectrogram of a mercury lamp with the spectrum of a neutral mercury atom generated in IS ESA. The interface feature is that the spectrograms are represented by coupled pairs: the full spectrogram of the experimental spectrum is placed together with the reference spectrogram and has a common coordinate axis with wavelength values.
In addition to the ability to load custom spectra for the analysis, the system has a number of demonstrational experimental spectra, for example, spectra of mercury, hydrogen, sodium lamps, etc.
Thus, the implemented service can be especially interesting for a number of tasks for determining the elemental composition of samples from their spectra for scientific and educational purposes, since it provides simple, affordable and effective tools for comparative analysis of spectra, as well as for the purposes of general spectral analysis. Many of these tasks can be useful in training highly qualified physicists. 4
Another way of visualizing the spectra of atomic systems is to represent the electronic structure of an atom in the
form of Grotrian diagrams, which are convenient for the problems of general analysis of the electronic structure of
atoms and ions [
When constructing the Grotrian diagram manually, specialists do the complicated work on selecting the most important transitions to be placed on the diagram. On the one hand, such a selection should give a set of lines providing the most complete picture of the electronic structure of the atomic system, and on the other hand, ensure good readability of the diagram. Grotrian diagrams in IS ESA are dynamically plotted based on spectral information stored in a database of levels and transitions of atomic systems. Diagrams for 98 neutral atoms can be plotted in the IS ESA (transitions for Pa, Fm, Md, No, Lr will not be shown), since data on classified transitions are not currently available). Diagrams are also plotted for single and multiple charged ions.
A number of solutions used in IS ESA provide the best quality of the obtained diagrams in comparison with
analogs [
Another important feature of IS ESA is the algorithm for placing data on a diagram that is slightly different from the most common (and used in NIST ASD) one. The view of the Grotrian diagram automatically plotted in the IS ESA is shown in Fig. 3. generating diagrams levels and transitions are automatically selected. The technique for distributing even and odd terms on different sides of the diagram from the central ground state is applied. Energy levels are divided into groups according to the type of atomic residue and subgroups according to terms.
The plotting technique is based on distributing even and odd levels to the right and to the left of the center line of the diagram. This method of plotting offers an opportunity to place a significantly larger number of lines as compared with the traditional one without loss of the diagram readability by eliminating the accumulation of lines at one point and reducing their intersections.
The combination of these two algorithms made it possible to implement software tools in the IS ESA that ensure plotting diagrams sufficiently high quality diagrams for neutral atoms of all elements of the periodic table. An expert opinion shows that the resulting diagram is in good agreement with the requirements of specialists both in terms of line selection efficiency and the density of placing the information on the diagram as well as its general readability. 5
The IS ESA implements an original way of representing spectral data, i.e. a quantogram [
Icons are used to show each transition on the diagram. The shape of the icon corresponds to the multiplicity of the corresponding transition. The icon border color corresponds to the transition wavelength perceived by the human eye. To this end, the colors are calculated by linear interpolation of the seven reference colors. Transitions with a wavelength outside the visible range are represented in black.
IS ESA quantograms are interactive. Various methods of representing and filtering data are implemented for them. So there are three diagram scale configuration methods. The first method: the horizontal axis represents the energy of the lower level, the vertical axis representing the energy of the upper level. The second method: the horizontal axis is the energy of the lower level, the vertical axis is the difference between the energies of the upper and lower levels of the transition. The third method: the horizontal axis is the energy of the upper level, the vertical axis is the energy of the lower level of the transition (for even states of the upper level), this being vice versa for odd states. A dashed line displays the atomic ionization energy for each way of presenting data.
There is also a possibility of filtering data by wavelength, selecting energy units and showing the transition intensity. So the intensity can be the same for all transitions or it can be represented by the transparency of the icon on a logarithmic scale to allow simultaneous viewing transitions, with their intensities differing by orders of magnitude.
When you hover over any transition, a tooltip pops up showing the terms and configuration of the upper and lower levels, wavelength, intensity and coordinates of the transition. When you click on a transition, all transitions of the hyperfine splitting of the term are shown. Also, the diagram is scaled easily. 6
The general scheme of implementing IS ESA is consistent with the solutions used to create modern information resources for spectroscopy. The system is implemented in a three-tier client-server architecture. The server layer, acting as a data warehouse, is represented by a SQL server (MS SQL). The intermediate level is formed by a jointly working Web server (Apache) and an application server (a set of PHP scripts). The client level is represented by the Web browser as universal software of the client side.
At the same time the technological feature of IS ESA is the emphasis placed on the “thick client”. If the Web browser is used almost exclusively as a thin client representing static HTML pages in most similar systems, then in a number of cases in IS ESA scripts form RIA (Rich Internet Application) applications implementing interactive work with data on the client side. It is this approach that allows one to implement a virtual spectroscope on the client side with the ability to scale the spectrum, continuously change the observed range, etc. RIA in IS ESA are implemented in the script language JavaScript with the JQuery library.
Spectrograms were visualized using SVG vector graphics, a standard XML application supported by W3C. Using vector graphics tools allows one to construct an image that optimally suits the client’s display and the current size of the display window, avoiding the effect of pixelation. At the same time the choice of the XML language of the vector graphics allows one to organize effective interactive management through standard work with the DOM tree. The technological capabilities of this approach are wide enough and create the basis for further development of the application dynamism and interactivity.
The download option for viewing and comparing the external files is ensured by the virtual spectroscope service and the spectral comparative analysis service being made as standalone utilities independent of the ES ESA core with their own API. The necessary data can be either taken from the IS ESA or downloaded from a user’s computer or from the Internet. All necessary parameters are passed in the URL string. The format of the uploaded file with the XSAMS reference spectrum, the experimental spectrum should be a file of the widespread CSV format. 7
IS ESA on the whole and the services included in it and described above can be widely used in teaching certain
branches of physics (optics, atomic physics, spectroscopy, etc.) and in training highly qualified specialists. There are
some reasons to justify such an application. Theoretical study of many aspects of quantum and atomic physics, optics,
spectroscopy often requires practical illustrations. Spectrograms can perform this function in many cases. The
analysis of spectrograms, their comparison, and comparison with the electronic structure of the generating atomic
systems allow one to deeply grasp theoretical points and give aid in using them in experimental work. It is also
important that the Internet information resource on spectroscopy, which meets all modern requirements for such
systems and is not inferior to the best world analogues acts as a teaching tool. Moreover, the skills of working with
such resources are considered to be an important element in training a modern physicist [
The informational Internet resource on atomic spectroscopy can be applied almost at all stages of training, both within the framework of various learning tasks and exercises, and as a working tool for performing practical tasks and studies. Moreover, its publication on the network in the public access makes such a learning tool available to participants of the educational process. Installation or any support activities are not required when working with the resource, and the resource pages can be viewed not only on desktops, but also downloaded to smartphones, tablets PC and similar mobile devices.
Further we will consider some of these possibilities. 7.1
Even at the initial acquaintance with the structure of atomic systems it seems important to use spectrograms to improve understanding and consolidation of the material. The reference spectrograms obtained from the IS ESA databases serve as a convenient abstraction effectively illustrating the electronic structure of atomic systems. Excluding from consideration some details that are inevitably present in spectrograms obtained during the experiment, such as the quantum effect of line broadening or the ratio of line intensities closely related to the experimental conditions, such spectrograms can serve as interesting educational material. It is certainly interesting to consider the spectrograms of the hydrogen atom, including the Lyman, Balmer, Paschen series and further, as well as a number of other atomic systems. The study of spectrograms can be combined with work with the corresponding Grotrian diagrams which can also be generated in the IS ESA to clarify the electronic structures generating one or another part of the spectrum. 7.2
To train a specialist, it is important to teach him to read and interpret spectrograms obtained during the experiment. Thus, attention can be focused on such effects as spectral continuum beyond the series limit, line broadening associated with the lifetimes of excited states, etc. The experience of comparing experimental and corresponding reference spectra of atomic systems will enable the student to read real spectral patterns. The experience of calibrating experimental spectra is an important point in training. The work on correcting the constant error and linear distortions of spectra is useful for understanding general features of experimental spectra and their processing methods. 7.3
Important educational tasks are associated with a comparative analysis of the experimental and a number of reference spectra. The most obvious task from this class is to determine the presence of various impurities in the spectrum. 8
Thus, functionality for scientific visualization of spectra in the form of spectrograms with the possibility of interactive control of the spectrogram representation and a number of tools for its analysis has been developed in the information system "Electronic structure of atoms" on the spectral properties of atoms and atomic ions.
These tools can be useful in solving many problems in scientific research and engineering development in many studies related to the analysis of spectra. In addition, the visualization and simplicity of the tools allows using them for training specialists in the field of spectroscopy and a number of other areas of physics.
The technical features of creating tools allow us to use them both as part of the information system "Electronic structure of atoms", and as a standalone application, as well as integrate them as stand-alone services into any other Web applications working with spectra.
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