Pressure Broadening

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Pressure Broadening

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The process in which the width of the lines in an emission spectrum or absorption spectrum of a gaseous radiative medium is increased due to perturbations of the energy states by collisions of the molecules or atoms within the gas. The extent of this line-broadening effect is directly proportional to the number of impacts experienced by the emitter or absorber per unit time, and hence is proportional to the pressure. Compare Doppler broadening. </dd>

References

This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use