RELATIVE INTENSITIES AND EXPONENTIAL DECAY OF A DOUBLET IN NV

The beam-foil source was used to measure the mean lives of the lowest 2P 1 2 levels in N V. To within an uncertainty of ±2 per cent, both levels have the same mean life, (3·17±0·09)×10-9 sec. The intensity ratio I( 3 2)/I( 1 2) of the two components (2P 3 2→r2S 1 2) λ123 a ̊ is 2·00±0·02, in proportion to the relative statistical weights of the upper levels. These values agree well with theory where configuration interaction has been taken into account. © 1969.