The Green Auroral Line as an Initiator of Phosphorescence in Condensed Systems

Abstract

IN 1924 one of us (L. V.)¹ detected a number of phosphorescent bands produced when solidified mixtures of nitrogen with inert gases (argon or neon) were exposed to the bombardment of cathode rays. One of these bands, called N¹, was situated in the region of the green auroral line. With diminishing nitrogen concentration the width of the line diminished and in pure neon it took the shape of a diffuse line with a wave-length 5577·4 A., which within the limit of error was identical with that² of the auroral line 5577·35. From this result, Vegard concluded that he was actually observing the green auroral line, which, however, under certain conditions took the form of a phosphorescent band, due to the action of Van der Waals' forces³ between the molecules of the condensed system.