A new edition of a widely cited reference volume of spectroscopic data is now available from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Scientists in atmospheric physics, astrophysics, nuclear fusion, plasma processing and related fields will find this volume a valuable resource. Spectroscopic data are also necessary in the lighting industry, in materials processing and semiconductor production. Every element has a unique spectral signature.
Scientists use spectral data to identify and measure the abundance of elements in the sun and stars.
For example, astronomers measure the spectrum radiating from a star to determine its chemical makeup. In another example, plasma modelers use large spectral data sets to characterize discharges and optimize the plasma conditions. The new 532-page reference data book authored by Wolfgang Wiese and Jeffrey Fuhr of NIST's Atomic Physics Division contains critically evaluated atomic transition probabilities for all ions and neutral atoms of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. The new edition contains 12,500 spectral lines, nearly 10 times as many as the previous edition. With nearly 1,000 lines each, neutral carbon, nitrogen and oxygen atoms and their singly charged ions are covered in the greatest detail.