Purified polonium has been excited by high-frequency electrodeless discharges of 10, 30, and 400 Mc/sec at temperatures ranging from 200° to 800°C, and in an enclosed spark source. One hundred thirty-nine lines have been found in the spectrum from the electrodeless discharge. Thirty-five of these and thirteen additional lines have been observed in the spectrum of the spark discharge. Forty-eight lines have been classified as transitions involving twenty-four energy levels of Po I. Four levels of the fundamental configuration 6p⁴ have been identified. The observations have been compared with theoretical predictions for this configuration. Separations are well represented by theory with the parameter F₂ = 1096K and ζ = 12 379K. The absolute value of the lowest level 6p⁴³P₂′ has been estimated from the first two members of the series ⁶p³(⁴S⁰)ns. An estimate of 67 980K is obtained. This corresponds to an ionization potential of 8.43 v for the neutral polonium atom.

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