On the Modification of the Intensity Distribution in the Band Spectrum of Nitrogen
Abstract
The modification of the intensity distribution of the nitrogen band spectrum by changes of temperature, pressure, exciting voltage, and current, and the shape of the discharge tube, was observed. From the results obtained in this experiment, it is found that the better defined and sharper the selective enhancements of the bands with the vibrational quantum numbers v' = 6 and v' = c' ii in the first positive bands, and with v' = c~ o, i in the second positive as well as in the negative bands, are observed, the lower the temperature of the gas, and the smaller the density of the exciting current. It is also found that this effect is observable conspicuously in the first and the second positive bands, and weakly in the negative bands. It has been confirmed that the selec- tive enhancements of the bands above described are always observable, independently of the exciting conditions, so long as the exciting current density is small and the tempera- ture of the gas is low. In the case of a very low pressure, i.e., when the velocities of the impacting electrons are relatively high, the bands from the initial levels with the higher vibrational quantum numbers are relatively enhanced in the three band systems here investigated, as G. Herzberg has already confirmed, and the maximum in the band group tends to be displaced toward the band with greater v'. In conclusion, some con- siderations regarding the results obtained and some references to the band spectrum of nitrogen in the auroral spectrum have been added
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 1933
- DOI:
- 10.1086/143453
- Bibcode:
- 1933ApJ....77..130O