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Concept information

Preferred term

forbidden line  

Definition

  • In spectroscopy, a forbidden mechanism (forbidden transition or forbidden line) is a spectral line associated with absorption or emission of photons by atomic nuclei, atoms, or molecules which undergo a transition that is not allowed by a particular selection rule but is allowed if the approximation associated with that rule is not made. For example, in a situation where, according to usual approximations (such as the electric dipole approximation for the interaction with light), the process cannot happen, but at a higher level of approximation (e.g. magnetic dipole, or electric quadrupole) the process is allowed but at a low rate. (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_mechanism)

Broader concept

Entry terms

  • forbidden transition line

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URI

http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/MDL-FFFPZHFZ-0

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