Energy pooling in caesium vapour:

The total rate coefficient k for the energy pooling process has been measured in dependence on the ratio of the number densities of the Cs 6P fine-structure sublevels. The measurements were performed applying the laser fluorescence method. From the set of the obtained data for k, the rate coefficients for the particular collisions were derived. The obtained values for the and collisions at T = 600 K are , and , respectively. The value for k₁ and the estimate for k₃ are consistent with the data previously published by other authors. The rate coefficient k₂ is reported for the first time. Received: 10 June 1997 / Revised: 13 October 1997 / Accepted: 5 January 1998