Abstract: An electric spark type light source for producing light for spectroscopic analysis, comprising an analytical spark gap, an energy storage capacitor, a charging and discharging circuit for alternately charging the capacitor and causing the capacitor to discharge across the spark gap to generate sparks which produce light for spectroscopic analysis, such circuit including at least one inductance coil for causing the discharge current through the spark gap to be oscillatory and pulsating in waveform, the circuit including rectifier means for causing the discharge current through the spark gap to have at least a unidirectional component, and time gate pulse generating means for deriving time gate pulses from the circuit in synchronized relation with the oscillatory pulsating spark gap current for use in selecting repetitive segments of the light from the sparks for spectroscopic analysis. The time gate pulses may be derived from the rectifier current, the capacitor discharge current or the spark gap current.