Ratio of Balmer line to spectrally adjacent emission, from the afterglow of a Z-pinch discharge in hydrogen

Measurements of line to continuum ratios have been made for the Hsub(β), Hsub(γ), Hsub(δ) and Hsub(ε) lines, at different times in the afterglow of a Z-pinch discharge in hydrogen. The contributions of Stark broadening of the lines and atom-electron interaction continuum, to the observed continuum signal, are considered. The electron temperature is estimated with an uncertainty of about ± 10%. (author)