Abstract: A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp according to the invention is provided with a discharge vessel (10) which encloses a discharge space (11) containing mercury and a rare gas in a gaslight manner. The discharge vessel (10) has a light-transmitting tubular portion (12) and a first and a second end portion (13A, 13B). Current supply conductors (20A, 20A'; 20B, 20B') issue through each end portion (13A, 13B) to respective electrodes (21A, 21B) arranged in the discharge space (11). The lamp is further provided with a main amalgam (30) for stabilizing the mercury vapour pressure in the discharge space (11) during normal operation, and with an auxiliary amalgam (31A, 31B) for quickly releasing mercury into the discharge space (11) after switching-on of the lamp. In an equilibrium state at room temperature (25.degree. C.), the mass (m.sub.Hg in mg) of the quantity of mercury absorbed in auxiliary amalgam (31A, 31B) is at most 20 times the mercury vapour pressure (P.sub.

Abstract: The low-pressure discharge lamp is discolsed having a lamp vessel into which hollow cylindrical electrodes enter, between which a discharge path extends. At least one of the electrodes has a tube at a distance from an end thereof, the tube extending in the discharge path. The tube is connected to the electrode by electrically conductive means and is coated with electron emissive material. The surface area of the material of the means in cross-section is at most 25% of the surface area of the material of the electrode in cross-section.

Abstract: An electrodeless metal vapor discharge lamp comprising a lamp vessel (1) which is sealed in a vacuum-tight manner and is further filled with a rare gas, which lamp is provided with a core (4) of magnetic material, in which a high-frequency magnetic field can be induced by means of an electric supply unit (7) and a winding (5) arranged to surround the core, an electric field being produced in the lamp vessel (1), the surface area of a cross-section orthogonal to the axis of the winding lying between 20 mm.sup.2 and 60 mm.sup.2, the lamp vessel (1) containing as rare gas krypton and/or argon at a pressure of at most 100 Pa, and the axial length of the winding lying between 8 and 15 mm.