Saturation spectra of low lying states of Nitrogen: reconciling experiment with theory
Abstract
The hyperfine constants of the levels 2p2(3P)3s 4PJ, 2p2(3P)3p 4PoJ and 2p2(3P)3p 4DoJ, deduced by Jennerich et al. [Eur. Phys. J. D 40 (2006) 81] from the observed hyperfine structures of the transitions 2p2(3P)3s 4PJ - 2p2(3P)3p 4PoJ' and 2p2(3P)3s 4PJ - 2p2(3P)3p 4DoJ' recorded by saturation spectroscopy in the near-infrared, strongly disagree with the ab initio values of J\"onsson et al. [J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 43 (2010) 115006]. We propose a new interpretation of the recorded weak spectral lines. If the latter are indeed reinterpreted as crossover signals, a new set of experimental hyperfine constants is deduced, in very good agreement with the ab initio predictions.
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