The selective action of xenon on the violet cyan system spectrum

Emission spectra have been recorded from a plasma produced by a fast discharge in the vapors of $CH_3CN$, $BrCN$, and $C_2N_2$ and mixtures of these with He, Ne, Kr, and Xe. It is found that the xenon produces a substantial change in the intensity distribution in the violet cyan bands, which are altered in structure. The effect is interpreted on the assumption of the formation of (XeCN)* complexes, which are formed because of intersection between the bound and repulsive potential surfaces in the Xe-C-N system.