The Mercury Arc as a Source of Intermittent Light

The possibility of using intense intermittent light for motion pictures and special photography is discussed. Physical limitations of sources of intermittent illumination are reviewed. The characteristics of the mercury-arc thyratron which give it advantages as an intermittent light source are enumerated, viz., (1) the light is photographically actinic; (2) the duration of a light flash can be made less than ten microseconds; (3) the light intensity is high; (4) the frequency of flash is easily and accurately controlled by means of a grid. An example of the use of intense intermittent light is given, showing how stroboscopic motion pictures of the angular transients of synchronous motors are taken.

Print ISSN

0097-5834

Published

1931-06

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/J08046