Vol. 584
In section 12. Atomic, molecular, and nuclear data

Controlling the emission profile of a microwave driven H2 discharge lamp to simulate interstellar radiation fields

This is an unusual paper for A&A in dealing with a laboratory apparatus. But it highlights what advances have been made in the experimental simulation of cosmic environments. The authors study the stability and output of hydrogen-deuterium lamps used as proxies for the UV interstellar radiation field. The effects of flow variations, pressure effects on the line spectrum, window aging during exposures, and a host of related effects are presented. The paper is a virtual tutorial in instrumental systematics and will be of considerable interest to anyone using the results of such experiments.