Afterglow Phenomena In Argon Nitrogen Mixtures At Pressures Close To Atmospheric

IN 1924, L. Vegard1 directed attention to the occurrence of phosphorescent bands in the region of the auroral line at 5577·35 A. when a solidified mixture of nitrogen and argon or neon is exposed to cathode-ray excitation. In a recent communication, Vegard and Kvifte2 report an observation of J. Nordhagen that pure argon at atmospheric pressure shows a green luminescence when excited by a Tesla transformer. Vegard and Kvifte suggest that the green band is a phosphorescent phenomenon initiated by the oxygen auroral line at 5577·35 A. They point out that increase in oxygen concentration above a certain value (not stated) suppresses the green phosphorescence.