The Lyman-alpha line is a hydrogen spectral line resulting from electron transitions between specific energy levels in the hydrogen atom, characterized by a wavelength of 121.5 nm. It represents the lowest energy transition in the Lyman series and is the most intense spectral emission line in the ultraviolet region, with significant implications in astronomy and atmospheric chemistry. The Lyman-alpha emissions are absorbed by oxygen in the upper atmosphere, contributing to ozone formation.

1. Lyman-alpha line
Lyman-alpha is a hydrogen
spectral line that generally occurs
in quasar spectra. The Lyman-
alpha spectral line results due to
electron transition from the first
stationary ground level of the
atom to its immediate next
higher orbicular configuration
n=2 in the hydrogen spectrum.
The Lyman series of the hydrogen spectrum initiates by the Lyman-alpha line.
The Greek letter α denotes it, and its symbolization is Ly-α. It was named after
the Harvard physicist Theodore Lyman.
It lies in the vacuum-ultraviolet
region. It is characterized by a strong
absorption in the air. Hence,
satellite-borne instruments are used
to study the Lyman-alpha
astronomy.
The hydrogen electron has -13.6 eV
energy in the first stationary orbit.
When it is in the second orbit, its
energy is -3.4 eV. So, the difference in
energy between the first and second
static levels of the hydrogen atom is
10.2 eV. Therefore, the Lyman-alpha
transition requires 10.2 eV energy to
occur.
1
0
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2
e
V
It is the lowest energetic transition of the Lyman series due to the small
energy gap between the first and second orbicular configurations.
It occurs at the lowest energy
than the other electron
transition of the Lyman series.
It occurs at the longest
wavelength of 121.5 nm than
the remaining spectral lines of
the Lyman series.
The Lyman-alpha transition has
two specificities.
The hydrogen spectrum reveals that it is
the most intense spectral emission line in
its ultraviolet region. At suitable
temperature conditions, the number of
hydrogen atoms participating in the
Lyman-alpha transition is more. And it
enhances the photon emissions that
influence the intensity of the Lyman-alpha
spectral line. Hence, we observe a thick
single Lyman-alpha line at the extreme
right end of the hydrogen spectrum.
Introduction
In the upper earth's atmosphere, the
oxygen molecules absorb Lyman-alpha
emissions of sunrays. And it dissociates
the oxygen molecules into their atoms.
Later, the oxygen atoms combine with
the undissociated oxygen molecules to
form an Ozone.
Ozone formation
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