Abstract

Observed spectroscopic features can exhibit a natural asymmetry if they result from the superposition of lines from the same atom or molecule at different pressures [1] or with different Doppler shifts. Examples of varying Doppler shifts are given by winds in planetary atmospheres [1] or by convection in stars [2]. In the absence of these effects, for example when one is measuring the absorption spectrum of a gas in a cell, the resulting line shape should be symmetrical.

© 1995 Optical Society of America