Lifetime of the(6s26p8s)3P1∘State in Lead

Hanle-effect studies have been made in the ${\left(6\mathrm{}{s}^{2}6p8s\right)}^{3}P_1^{}{}_{}{}^{\circ }$ state of lead. ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{208}$ atoms were excited to this state by 2053-Å lead resonance light, and the 5201-Å cross-fluorescent line from this state was detected. The width of the level-crossing signal corresponds to a lifetime for this state of 1.29(14)×${10}^{-8\mathrm{}}$ sec where the quoted uncertainty is three times the standard deviation. This value is a factor of four longer than the value calculated from the oscillator strengths of Corliss and Bozman.