Absorption Spectrum of Astatine*

A highly sensitive method of spectrographic detection of gases was used to detect the absorption of atomic astatine. Two lines were recorded whose wavelengths were 2244.01 and 2162.25 Å. These lines were tentatively assigned to the transitions ²P320−⁴P52 and ²P320−⁴P32 between configurations 6p5 and 6p4 7s. The assignment of two resonant lines of polonium was confirmed.