The Negative Hydrogen Ion and its Absorption Coefficient.

A six-parameter wave-function for the negative hydrogen ion has been derived on the basis of the Ritz principle, similar to the wave-function of Hylleraas for the ground state of helium. This new wave- function predicts for the electron affinity a value of 0.0265 atomic units; this value is appreciably different from 0.0253 atomic units currently adopted. The atomic absorption coefficient of H for radiation of different wave lengths has been computed on the basis of the new wave-function. It is found that the absorption coefficient per H ion has the maxi- mum value 3.0 X 10'~ cm2 at 5000 A (instead of 2.6 X 1O'~ cm2 at 4-000 A, according to the earlier calculations of Massey and Bates). Throughout the red and the infrared the new values for the absorp- tion coefficient are substantially larger than those now in general use