SELECTIVE EXCITATION OF THE $b'-X$ BANDS OF NITROGEN IN THE VACUUM UV REGION

Abstract

“It was observed that when an uncondensed discharge was passed through a mixture of $N_{2}$ and Kr, the v=0 level of the $b’ {^{1}}\Sigma^{+}_{u}$ state of $N_{2}$ was strongly excited, but when Kr was replaced with Ar in a similar discharge, the v=2 level of the same electronic state was strongly enhanced. However, in both cases, the bands originating in other states or even in other vibrational levels of the $b’$-state were considerably weakened. It was also observed that, in the case of Kr, the individual bands in the $v’’$-progression appeared very narrow without showing any enhancement in their rotational structure, while, in the case of Ar, the individual bands showed a strong intensity anomaly in their structure. The results will be discussed in detail.”