Quadrupole nuclear spin relaxation ofXe131in the presence of rubidium vapor

Nuclear spin relaxation of ${}_{}{}^{131}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Xe}$ produced by collisions of the xenon atoms with the walls of the experimental cell has been studied. The xenon nuclear ensemble is polarized through spin-exchange collisions with an optically oriented rubidium vapor. Depolarization of the ${}_{}{}^{131}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Xe}$ ensemble in the wall collisions is assumed to be due to the quadrupole coupling between the ${}_{}{}^{131}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Xe}$ nucleus and the electric field gradients which appear at the nucleus during collisions of the atoms with the cell walls. Model equations describing the nuclear relaxation are derived and estimates of the electric field gradients are given.