Broadening of balmer lines for high quantum number

The experimental data of Ferguson and Schlüter on the shapes of high Balmer lines are analyzed, in order to determine whether the collision width can dominate over the linear Stark effect width for sufficiently large n. It is shown, for example, that Baranger's criterion for the applicability o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of quantitative spectroscopy & radiative transfer Vol. 4; no. 3; pp. 491 - 496
Main Author Armstrong, B.H.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Ltd 01.01.1964
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Summary:The experimental data of Ferguson and Schlüter on the shapes of high Balmer lines are analyzed, in order to determine whether the collision width can dominate over the linear Stark effect width for sufficiently large n. It is shown, for example, that Baranger's criterion for the applicability of strictly hydrogenic theory is not satisfied for the highest Ferguson-Schlüter line because of the large Stark splitting. The Ferguson-Schlüter lines approach a pure Lorentz shape at about n = 16 contrary to the n = 20 prediction of standard quasistatic and electron-impact broadening theory. It is suggested that the correction to the impact approximation due to Lewis may be the cause, although this is not demonstrated directly and other unknown effects may contribute.
ISSN:0022-4073
1879-1352
DOI:10.1016/0022-4073(64)90010-X