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Re: Quantum question?

At 4:57 PM -0800 1/27/00, Leigh Palmer wrote:
High pressure may
broaden an emission line in a gas discharge because collisions are
shortening the upper state lifetime. (This is distinct from doppler
broadening, of course).

I have heard astronomers refer to this 'collisional' broadening as
seen in high pressure sodium discharge lamps.

Is this mechanism also describable as 'Pauli Exclusion' broadening,
something that solid state folks use to explain the creation of
conduction 'bands' as isolated atoms come close to each other.

There is a simple 'Kroenig-Penny' model that can be programmed
eassily to illustrate the bands arising as the atoms (with their
initial discrete levels) get closer together.

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