In an attempt to understand the implications of using glow dischargeatmoizers in atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), line profiles andkinetic (Doppler) temperatures were measured in commercial hollowcathode lamps and a laboratory-constructed, jet-assisted dc glowdischarge atomizer using a high-resolution Bemem Fourier-transformspectrometer. Line profiles were measured in the hollow cathode lampsas current was increased from 1 to 30 mA for three resonance atomiclines (Mg 285.21 nm, Al 308.22 nm, and Pb 283.31 nm) having distinctlydifferent hyperfine structure. Although the Al 308.22 nm line waslargely unaffected by self-absorption as the lamp current was increased,the Pb 282.31 nm and Mg 285.21 nm lines exhibited pronounced self-absorption broadening at relatively low lamp currents. Kinetictemperatures in the hollow cathode lamps ranged from 320 +/- K at lowlamp currents to 840 +/- 20 K at high currents. Using the Ar I 415.86nm line from the argon discharge gas as a thermometric species, kinetictemperatures of 460 +/- 20 K to 620 +/- 20 K were measured in the glowdischarge atomizer under typical analytical operating conditions. Theselow atomizer gas temperatures imply that the sensitivity and lineardynamic range of analytical calibration curves will be more stronglyaffected by the lamp current of the primary radiation source and thespectral properties of the analysis line in glow discharge AAS than inflame or furnace AAS, and that operation at low lamp current isessential for optimal analytical performance. The degree to which thelinear dynamic range and the slope of the analytical calibration curvewould be affected by the hyperfine structure of the analysis line, theextent of self-absorption in the hollow cathode lamp, the hollow cathodekinetic temperature, and the glow discharge kinetic temperature, isconsidered separately for each atomic line investigated. The kinetictemperatures in the hollow cathode lamps and the glow discharge atmoizerwere so close as to make it possible to obtain absorption line profilesfor the three resonance atomic lines in the glow discharge atomizerusing hollow cathode lamps as primary radiation sources; i.e., withoutthe necessity of suing a continuum source of radiation.