Measurement of the metastable lifetime for the 2s2 2p2 1So level in O2

摘要

The radiative lifetime of the 1S0 level was found to be 540 /- 27 ms. This is in good agreement with a previous measurement and with a number of theoretical calculations. Metastable lifetimes, when combined with collisional excitation rates, can provide a diagnostic for electron density Ne in a stellar or solar plasma.