The spectroscopy of highly ionised atoms

Spectroscopic investigations of the structure of highly ionised atoms have undergone significant developments in recent years. The experimental progress is largely due to the introduction of several powerful light sources, such as laser-produced plasmas. Tokamaks and beams of fast, excited ions. The results obtained with these laboratory devices complement the data from astrophysical observations of the solar corona and solar flares. The experimental techniques are described in some detail. The results are discussed with respect to energy level studies along isoelectronic sequences, inner-shell excited levels, forbidden transitions, lifetimes and transition probabilities as well as the results of spectroscopic studies of quantum electrodynamics, QED. The experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions.