Knowledge Bank

By convoluting an exponential function with calculated spectra consisting of single and multiple sets of lines of various widths and line shapes, we have determined the effects that time constant (RC) has on recorded spectra. For equivalent experiments, in which the scanning rates d$\nu$/dt are equal, we have concluded that the optimum value of RC is essentially independent of whether the spectrum is to be digitized or not, and independent of the sampling rate if digitization is used. A trade-off among the desirable and undesirable effects of RC leads us to recommend a value of RC about one-tenth of the full width at half height of the sharpest individual lines in the observed spectrum. This research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.