The Excitation Potential of the Negative Bands of Nitrogen

The energy of excitation of the 0→1 negative band of nitrogen at 4278.1 A.U. is found to be 19.0 volts, by comparison with the energy of excitation of neon lines. This gives a value of 15.8 volts for the ionizing potential of nitrogen, and of 8.4 volts for the heat of dissociation. Peculiar effects in the excitation of the $2s-2p$ lines of neon are discussed.