High temperature, high density observation and modeling of the lithium 1(3)Sigma(+)(u)-1(3)Pi(g) transition

Optical absorption of the Li-2 1(3) Sigma(u)(+)-1(3) Pi(g) transition, with a satellite maximum at 603.9 nm, at an estimated temperature of 2033 K and estimated lithium vapor density of 2.97 X 10(18) cm(-3) is reported. These are the first results from a new experimental device, the plasma spectroscopy cell. Fully quantum mechanical calculations of bound-free and free-free absorption cross sections for the transition are presented to confirm identification of the triplet transition and to establish the domination of Free-free absorption.