Energy Levels and Mean Lives of Cl ii–Cl vii*

We have investigated the spectra of chlorine between 500 and 2800 Å using the beam–foil technique. Over 200 multiplets have been observed, many of which had not been reported earlier. A number of such transitions could be classified and several new term values are proposed for Cl iv, Cl v, Cl vi, and Cl vii. Mean lives of various excited levels were measured for Cl ii–Cl vii. The results are compared with theoretical calculations and other measurements in appropriate isoelectronic systems.