THE SPECTRUM OF ATOMIC OXYGEN IN A HIGH CURRENT A-C. DISCHARGE

The atomic oxygen spectrum has been produced in an a-c. discharge of current densities between 50 m.a. per cm2 and 1.3 amp. per cm.2, and lines arising from the lower permitted levels of the atom are present in this spectrum. In view of the fact that the discharge is excited chiefly by electron collisions, and also that the aurora appears to be the result of collisional processes, the auroral spectrum should be examined carefully to determine whether or not these same permitted atomic oxygen lines are present.