The nuclear spin of iodine I— fine structure in the first spark spectrum

Abstract

In an earlier paper on the fine structures of the visible lines in the arc spectra of bromine and iodine an attempt was made to estimate the nuclear spin of iodine, and a tentative value of 9/2 was proposed. The iodine arc lines were excited by a high frequency electrodeless discharge in pure iodine vapour and examined with a silvered Fabry-perot interferometer. The fine structures in the arc lines are small, and as the patterns are highly complex and the individual components not very sharp, interpretation was difficult. It was concluded with certainty that the nuclear spin was at least equal to 5/2, but one line in particular suggested a value of 9/2. This was indefinite, and in view of the uncertainty a thorough examination of both the arc and spark spectra of iodine has been undertaken. A preliminary notice has already appeared. The first spark spectrum can be more easily studied than the arc spectrum, since the structure are on a very much bigger scale and more complete resolution can be attained. The present work is concerned with the spark lines excited in a hollow cathode discharge. Fine structures in iodine spark lines were first recorded long ago by Wood and Kimura who excited the lines in a Geissler tube and examined them with a transmission echelon. Murakawa attempted to analyse the fine structure data, but as the source and instrument employed by Wood and Kimura were not able to give the high resolution attained here, the deductions made from these data, although generally correct, are uncertain and require further examination; for many of the line structures are much more complex than as reported by these earlier observers.