Measuring the Helium Spectrum: Friederich Paschen 1916

[neilparker62]

TL;DR

Need help interpreting measurement.

Re page 14 of following reference:

https://zenodo.org/record/1447321#.XSyx3z9LjIU
If I understand correctly this page is showing a set of measurements for the fine structure of singly ionized Helium at +- 4686 Angstrom. Can we figure out from this which specific transitions are being measured ? In particular I'm interested in establishing which represents the 3d 5/2 to 4f 7/2 transition. I think it's most likely the one labelled Ia, IIc at 4685.803 A.

Alternatively if there's another source of measured (not calculated!) values for this fine structure complex, please point me in the right direction. I have hunted high and low but it seems no serious measurement on the Helium Spectrum has been done since Paschen's in 1916 ?!

Or from astronomy experts: are we able to measure stellar spectra accurately enough to resolve the 4686 fine structure ? As well as other of "Bohr's Helium lines" which are generally transitions of He+ from energy levels above 4 to level 4. Paschen has measurements at +- 6560 A, 5411 A, 4859 A, 4541 A, 4338 A, 4199 A and 4100 A showing transitions from levels 6 to 12 (to level 4). Each of these is probably a fine structure "forest" itself but I would guess the readings taken are of the dominant component or perhaps an average of dominant components.

 

[phyzguy]

Of course there have been more recent measurements. A good place to look is at NIST. The link below shows measurements of the lines you are asking about, and there are links to the references where the data was taken, as well as the energy levels for HeII.

https://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/Handbook/Tables/heliumtable2.htm

 

[neilparker62]

Of course there have been more recent measurements. A good place to look is at NIST. The link below shows measurements of the lines you are asking about, and there are links to the references where the data was taken, as well as the energy levels for HeII.

https://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/Handbook/Tables/heliumtable2.htm

Many thanks but had already trawled NIST looking for data. If you follow the refs on 4686 lines, all you find is a reference to "unpublished calculations" - not measurements. I even confirmed that via an email to NIST.