COLLISIONAL LOSS RATE OF SODIUM ATOMS IN A MAGNETOOPTICAL TRAP OPERATING ON THE D1 LINE

We have measured the total collisional loss rate for ultracold sodium atoms held in a magneto-optical trap operating on the D1 line. The col lisional rate is extracted from the decay of the fluorescence from tra pped atoms. We observe an intensity dependence corresponding to radiat ive escape and hyperfine changing collisions in the trap. The results obtained are compared with previous measurements for traps operating o n the D2 line.