Abstract

A detailed spectroscopic investigation has been carried out on the “quenching” of a spark discharge and the removal of self-absorption by an air blast and choice of source conditions. It was found that the spectrum excited by an overdamped discharge was made more spark-like by an air blast, and was then very similar to that produced by an oscillatory discharge. It was concluded that an air blast blows out the arc-like discharge into which a spark degenerates. Furthermore, self-absorption was found to occur largely during this arc-like portion of the discharge. The use of an oscillatory discharge rather than an overdamped discharge was more effective in removing self-absorption than an air blast.

© 1956 Optical Society of America

Spectral Stability in the Condensed Spark Discharge in Air

Saul Levy
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 35(3) 221-226 (1945)

Short Period Investigations in Spark Discharges

D. W. Steinhaus, H. M. Crosswhite, and G. H. Dieke
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 43(4) 257-270 (1953)

Excitation Temperature in Time-Resolved Spectra of Single Condensed Spark Discharges*

Leon Blitzer and Willoughby M. Cady
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 41(7) 440-445 (1951)

Analysis of the Excitation Characteristics of Spectra Emitted by Ferrous Alloys*

J. K. Hurwitz and J. Convey
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 42(1) 24-30 (1952)

Physical Basis of Line Enhancement in Argon and Krypton*

Milton R. Baker, S. James Adelstein, and Bert L. Vallee
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 46(2) 138-140 (1956)