An intracavity laser technique has been used to study the absorption of electron-beam pumped Ne/Kr/F
2gas mixtures (196 and 300 K) in the "blue wing" of the Kr
2F emission continuum. The experiments were conducted at 358 nm using the

transition of the N
2(

) laser. Comparing the results with the predictions of a computer model, the species primarily responsible for absorption have been identified as Ne+
2, Kr+
2, and Kr
2F*. The photoabsorption cross sections for Ne+
2and Kr
2F (Kr+
2F-) at 358 nm have been estimated to be

and

cm
2, respectively. The Kr
2F* absorption cross section is roughly 20 percent of that reported for Kr+
2at the same wavelength. The fluorescence efficiency of Kr
2F* in

-beam excited 94.93 percent Ne/5 percent Kr/0.07 percent F
2(

torr) gas mixtures has been found to be a factor of 2.8 higher than that of the N
2(

) band in Ar/5 percent N
2mixtures. Also, the rate constant for quenching of Kr
2F* by F
2was measured to be

cm
3. s
-1at 300 K and

cm
2. s
-1at 196 K.