( 157 ) 
THE ABSOEPTION-SPECTEUM OF OXYGEN AND A NEW 
LAW OF SPECTEA. 
By James Mom, D.Sc, M.A., F.E.S.S.Afr. 
(Eead May 18, 1910.) ' 
The remarkable multiplex bands known as the A, B, and a lines of the 
solar spectrum are known to be due to absorption of the sun's light by the 
oxygen of the earth's atmosphere, and in spite of their obviously rhythmic 
structure, have not yet been reduced to an algebraical formula as regards 
their wave-lengths. This the author has succeeded in doing, but the 
formulae are of a new type, quite different from those of Balmer, Kayser 
and Eunge, and Eydberg (which are functions of n-', whereas the author's 
formulae depend on 7^+^, in both cases 7i standing for the successive whole 
numbers). From the following tables it will be seen that the agreement 
between calculation and observation is excellent. 
"Head" of A line. — This consists of a tangled pair-system starting 
from two slightly different fundamentals of oscillation-frequency {in vacuo) 
13164-7 and 13163-9 ; the subsidiary lines differ by O'll^n^ and 0-184%^ 
respectively. 
First Members of Pairs. 
Second Members of Pairs . 
Value, 
of n 
Frequency j 
Calculated 
from 1 
13164 7-0-175n^. 
Frequency ; 
Observed 
(in vacuo). 
Error. 
Value 
of n. 
Frequency 
Calculated 
from 
13163-9-0- 1849!=. 
Frequency 
Observed 
(ill vaci(o'). 
Error. 
0 
13164-7] 
13164-6) 
0 
1 
13164-5] 
(double) [ 
1 
13163-7 f 
13163-6) 
+ 0-1 
2 
13164-0 
13163-5? 
+ 0-5? 
2 
13163-2 \ 
(double) ) 
- 0-3? 
3 
13163-1 
13162-5? 
H-0-6? 
3 
13162-3 
13162-4 
- 0-1 
4 
13161-9 
13161-4? 
-f 0-5? 
4 
13161-0 
13161-2 
- 0-2 
5 
13160-3 
13160-0 
+ 0-3? 
5 
13159-3 
13159-5 
- 0-2 
6 
13158-4 
13158-2 
+ 0-2 
6 
13157-3 
13157-4 
-01 
7 
13156-1 
13156-0? 
0? 
7 
13154-9 
13155-0 
- 0-1 
8 
13153-5 
13153-5 
0 
8 
13152 1 
13152-2 
- 0-1 
9 
13150-5 
13150-6 
- 0-1 
9 
131490 
13149-0 
0 
10 
13147-2 
13147-3 
-0-1 
10 
13145-5 
13145-5 
0 
11 
13143-5 
13143-7 
- 0-2 
11 
13141-6 
13141-6 
0 
12 
13139-5 
13139-7 
- 0-2 
12 
13137-4 
13137-3 
+ 0-1? 
13 
13135-1 
13135-3 
- 0-2 
13 
13132-8 
13132-7 
+ 0-1 
14 
13130-4 
13130-6 
- 0-2 
14 
13127-8 
13127-7 
+ 0-1 
15 
13125-4 
131*25-5 
1 
-01 
1 
The observations of the closer pairs near the fundamental are some- 
what defective. After the 15th pair there comes a break, and then the 
"tail" of A commences, again consisting of pairs. The author has sue- 
