DETERMINATION OF THE ROTATIONAL TEMPERATURE OF UF6 AND PRESSURE IN A SUPERSONIC EXPANSION BY USE OF THE Q-BRANCH UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PRESSURE BROADENING

A spectroscopic method is proposed for the simultaneous determination of both the rotational temperature of UF6 diluted with Ar and the tota l pressure in a supersonic Laval nozzle expansion. This method utilize s the fact that the relative intensities of the sub-bands of a Q branc h depend on the rotational temperature and pressure. The values determ ined for the rotational temperature were found to agree with the tempe rature calculated on the assumption of thermal equilibrium under isent ropic expansion. The total pressures estimated from the Q branch agree with the ones measured with a capacitance manometer.