The photoabsorption spectrum of neutral atomic palladium was observed
in the vacuum ultraviolet region and the total cross section has been
measured in the 6.5-11 eV range for the first time. The relative photo
absorption cross section arising from the main threshold corresponding
to the 4d(9) D-2(5/2) level of Pd II has been determined in relative
units and converted to the absolute units (Mb) by normalizing our expe
rimental data to the theoretical data of Radojevic and Johnson (1983)
and Shanthi and Deshmukh (1990). Several autoionized lines are also re
ported.