Abstract

With increasing gas pressure and spark energy, the Balmer lines in the hydrogen spectrum (with the exception of H_α) become so wide and overlapping that they form a continuous spectrum, as is well known. Only H_α remains relatively sharp and separated even with the highest energies obtained so far.

By increasing the energy density in the spark channel substantially beyond the present limits, H_α also widens considerably and finally shows reversal in its center. The spectral range of the reversal widens with increasing energy and gas pressure. The phenomenon is discussed.

© 1953 Optical Society of America

Short Period Investigations in Spark Discharges

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