Optical emission spectroscopy was performed on a metal-halide lamp under micro-gravity conditions of the international space station. Several transitions of atomic and ionic Dy and atomic Hg have been measured at different lateral positions from which we obtained atomic and ionic Dy and atomic Hg intensity profiles. After Abel inversion, the calibrated radial intensity profile of Hg was used to calculate a radial temperature profile. By combining the radial temperature profile with the calibrated radial intensity profile of the additive, the absolute radial density profile of the total atomic and ionic density of Dy was obtained. The measurements showed a hollow density profile for the atoms and ions in the centre. In the outer parts of the lamp molecules were found to dominate. Lamps containing Dy showed contraction of the arc, which increased for higher powers. Measurements were duplicated at 1-g and showed less radial segregation than for 0-g. As the power was increased, the difference between 0-g and 1-g of the radial intensity, density and temperature profile were diminished.

High intensity discharge lamps have a high efficiency. These lamps contain rare-earth additives (in our case dysprosium iodide) which radiate very efficiently. A problem is color separation in the lamp because of axial segregation of the rare-earth additives, caused by diffusion and convection. Here two-dimensional atomic dysprosium density profiles are measured by means of laser absorption spectroscopy; the order of magnitude of the density is 1022m−3. The radially resolved atomic density measurements show a hollow density profile. In the outer parts of the lamp molecules dominate, while the center is depleted of dysprosium atoms due to ionization. From the axial profiles the segregation parameter is determined. It is shown that the lamp operates on the right-hand side of the Fischer curve [J. Appl. Phys. 47, 2954 (1976)], i.e., a larger convection leads to less segregation.

Metal-halide lamps have high efficiencies. These lamps often contain rare-earth additives (in our case dysprosium iodide) which radiate very efficiently in the visible spectrum. Colour separation is a problem in these lamps; this is caused by axial segregation of these additives as a result of diffusion and convection. To vary the effect of convection, parabolic flights were performed with micro-gravity (0g) and hyper-gravity (∼1.8g) phases. During these flights, the atomic dysprosium density was measured by means of laser absorption spectroscopy. In addition, the lamp voltage, which is strongly influenced by the total amount of Dy in the lamp, was measured. The Dy density and axial segregation are dependent on the gravity. The dynamic lamp behaviour during the parabolas was investigated: the dysprosium density and lamp voltage followed the gravity variations. When entering the micro-gravity phase, the axial diffusion time constant is the slowest time constant; it is proportional to the mercury pressure in the lamp.

Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of Record (includes final page, issue and volume numbers)Please check the document version of this publication:• A submitted manuscript is the author's version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website.• The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review.• The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers. Link to publication General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.• Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.• You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Absolute line intensity measurements are performed on a metal-halide lamp. Several transitions of atomic and ionic Dy and atomic Hg are measured at different radial positions from which we obtain absolute atomic and ionic Dy intensity profiles. From these profiles we construct the radially resolved atomic state distribution function ͑ASDF͒ of the atomic and ionic Dy and the atomic Hg. From these ASDFs several quantities are determined as functions of radial position, such as the ͑excitation͒ temperature, the ion ratio Hg + /Dy + , the electron density, the ground state, and the total density of Dy atoms and ions. Moreover, these ASDFs give us insight about the departure from equilibrium. The measurements show a hollow density profile for the atoms and the ionization of atoms in the center. In the outer parts of the lamp molecules dominate.

Axial segregation in metal-halide lamps is caused by a complex interaction between convection and diffusion and is not yet fully understood. By enhancing convection, by placing the lamp in a centrifuge, the effect of convection on axial segregation was studied. The centrifuge caused the lamp to be accelerated between 1g and 10g. Optical emission spectroscopy was performed on a metal-halide lamp while placed in the centrifuge. Several transitions of atomic and ionic Dy, and atomic Hg were measured at different lateral positions from which we obtained atomic and ionic Dy and atomic Hg intensity profiles. Atomic lateral profiles of Dy at different axial positions in the lamp were used for the calculation of Fischer's axial segregation parameter. The theoretical model of the Fischer curve, which shows the axial segregation parameter as a function of convection, was verified along the full range by measuring lamps of different fillings and geometry. Moreover, the radial temperature profile of the arc for the different accelerations was determined.