Arc temperature and species distribution in tin chloride arcs

The spectrum of a high-pressure tin chloride-iodide-mercury arc has a strong visible continuum and for this reason is potentially a good source of white light. The temperature profile of this arc was determined by adding Cul
2
and measuring the radial emission of the 510.6- and 513.3-nm copper lines. At 400 W, the center arc temperature is 5700°K. Relative tin pressure was determined as a function of arc radius. The radial distribution of the continuum emission was determined at a number of wavelength regions in the visible and UV. These data are consistent with the postulate that SnCl is one of the principal sources of the continuum radiation from this arc.