ABSTRACT -- Recently, a method of magnetically-enhanced discharge columns is considered to increase the luminous efficacy of discharge lamps, which is based upon the face that the diffusion motion of charged particles in the discharge column strongly depends on the applied magnetic fields. This study investigates the effect of applied transverse magnetic fields on the light output of low-pressure Hg-Ar discharge. As a result, it is found that the electric field in the positive column increases according to the applied megnetic field, which causes an increase in the total light output. And this effect is much more pronounced upon the spectral line originating form the higher levels.