Measurement of the oscillator strengths and autoionization widths of the neutral-aluminum multiplet 3s2 3p2 P0 - 3s 3p2 2P

The hook method is used in conjunction with absorption equivalent width measurements to determine the oscillator strengths and line widths of the Al I multiplet 3s2 3p2 P0 - 3s 3p2 2P at 176 nm. Autoionization is found to be the dominant decay channel for the two levels of the 3p2 2P term, with autoionizing widths of 4.0 and 0.87 x 10 to the 10th/sec for J of 3/2 and 1/2, respectively. The van der Waals scattering cross section for the Al I transition at 176.91 nm by He is determined to be (1.3 + or - 0.3) x 10 to the -14th sq cm at 2400 K, and a solar spectrum calculation centered at 176 nm shows that the Al I features are possible diagnostic probes of (1) solar non-LTE processes, and (2) the temperature minimum and structure of the lower chromosphere.