Temperature dependence of blackbody-radiation-induced transfer among highly excited states of sodium

Abstract

The rate of blackbody-radiation-induced transfer from the $19s$ state of sodium to the $18p$ and $19p$ states has been measured over the temperature range 6 to 210 K. The rate, which ranges from 2 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{3}$ to 20 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{3}$${\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, is sensitive to several transfer coefficients and spontaneous transition rates as well as to the precise form of the radiative distribution. The results are in good agreement with theory.