This survey presents six previously published papers dealing with time-resolved atomic and molecular spectroscopy with applications to the chemical composition of the solar atmosphere. Three methods of measuring mean lives of excited states have been used:

Beam-foil spectroscopy Beam-laser spectroscopy High-frequency deflection

The methods used to estimate the abundances of the chemical elements in the sun will also be outlined. The experimental work has been carried out at the Research Institute of Physics in Stockholm.