AN EXPERIMENTAL DETERMINATION OF THE OSCILLATOR STRENGTH OF THE FIRST NEGATIVE BANDS OF $N_{2}^{+}$

Abstract

The radiative lifetimes associated with the electronic transitions of diatomic molecules usually fall in the range $10^{-8}$ to $10^{-6}$ second. An experimental apparatus capable of measuring lifetimes in this range will be described. The theory which relates the measured radiative lifetimes to oscillator strengths and extinction coefficients will be summarized. The radiative lifetime of the upper state of the $3914{\AA}$ transition of $N_{2}^{+}$ which plays a role in the problems of the aurora and upper atmosphere was determined to be $(6.58\pm 0.35) 10^{-8}$ second, corresponding to an oscillator strength, f, of $(3.48\pm 0.20) 10^{-2.}$