Experimental lifetime determination in neutral praseodymium (Pr I) and neodymium (Nd I)

Radiative lifetime measurements have been performed, with a time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence technique, for 18 even-parity levels of Pr I and 15 odd-parity levels of Nd I. The new results are compared with the few experimental data available in the literature and good agreement is found. However, fragmentary knowledge of the spectra prevents reliable calculation of branching fractions and calls for additional laboratory efforts in order to provide the astrophysicists with reliable transition probabilities needed for investigating the magnetic fields in chemically peculiar stars.