High temperature, high pressure absorption spectra of uranyl chloride solutions under shock conditions

A technique for photographing the absorption spectra of solutions under shock wave conditions was developed. A photograph of the spectrum of a uranyl nitrate solution exposed to a shock wave of 75 kbar showed the absorption to extend beyond 500 mn, the long wavelength limit for uranyl solutions under ordinary conditions. It was found that at room temperature pressure up to 6 kbar had no appreciable effect on absorption. An analysis of the spectrum of uranyl perchlorate solutions has been published. The intensity of very weak absorption bands increased when the solution was heated to 950C, and they were interpreted as hot bands due to absorption from an excited ground state. New absorption measurements made on uranyl solutions heated to 2500C at low pressure are presented and an interpretation of the effect observed in the shock experiments is offered