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Giant modification of atomic transitions probabilities induced by magnetic field: forbidden transitions become predominant

Magnetic field-induced giant modification of probabilities for seven components of 6S1/2 (Fg=3) - 6P3/2 (Fe=5) transition of Cs D2 line forbidden by selection rules is observed experimentally for the first time. For the case of excitation with circularly-polarized laser radiation, the probability of Fg=3,mF=-3 - Fe=5,mF=-2 transition becomes the largest among 25 transitions of Fg=3 - Fe=2,3,4,5 group in a wide range of magnetic field 200 - 3200 G. Moreover, the modification is the largest among D2 lines of alkali metals. A half-wave-thick cell (length along the beam propagation axis L=426 nm) filled with Cs has been used in order to achieve sub-Doppler resolution which allows for separating the large number of atomic transitions that appear in the absorption spectrum when an external magnetic field is applied. For B > 3 kG the group of seven transitions Fg=3 - Fe=5 is completely resolved and is located at the high frequency wing of Fg=3 - Fe=2,3,4 transitions. The applied theoretical model very well describes the experimental curves.