Approximate Electromagnetic Transition Probabilities and Relative Electron Excitation Cross Sections for Rare-Gas Masers

Abstract

Numerical values for the electromagnetic transition probabilities for a large number of rare‐gas maser lines are calculated and tabulated for assisting in the evaluation of existing and new gaseous masers as well as for other applications such as work in astrophysics. In addition, in order to determine the dominant pumping mechanisms in such masers, an approximate method has been developed for calculating the relative cross sections under electron impact for production of various excited states from the ground state of the rare‐gas atoms. A brief discussion of the experimental observations in the rare‐gas masers is made in terms of the results given here.