THE EFFECT OF WELDING PARAMETERS AND COVERING ELEMENTS ON THE ARC TEMPERATURE OF COVERED ELECTRODES WAS STUDIED, USING THE SPECTRAL LINE INTENSITY RATIO METHOD. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ARC TEMPERATURE INCREASES WITH THE WELDING CURRENT, WHILE THE WELDING VOLTAGE HAS LITTLE EFFECT ON THE TEMPERATURE. FURTHERMORE, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE ARC COLUMN INCREASES IN PROPORTION TO THE CONTENTS OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCES AND FLUORITE IN THE COVERING, AND IN REVERSE PROPORTION TO LIMESTONE AND RUTILE. IN ADDITION, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FUME EMISSION RATE AND THE ARC TEMPERATURE IS ALSO EXAMINED. IN JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH ABSTRACT.