Improved Methods for the Measurement of Spectral Line Intensities

Abstract

Improved methods for the measurement of spectral line intensities have been developed. Such techniques are based on the authors' modification of the partial Seidel function, referred to as B-functions. A conversion table for these is given. A scale calibrated in B-functions has been incorporated into a Hilger microphotometer enabling such values to be obtained directly without the use of conversion tables. B-values can be plotted directly on to the linear co-ordinate of semilog graph paper if the self-calibration method is used for evaluating line intensities, there is an attendant time saving and improvement in the accuracy of background extrapolation. A nomographic technique developed for use in conjunction with this scale, results in a rapid evaluation of line intensities but with some loss of precision. It is concluded that the technique will result in an improvement of some existing photometric methods.