We have measured the relative population in the two mj states of barium 6p1/2 ions produced by the autoionization of (6p3/2nd)J=MJ=3 states by detecting the helicity of the emitted fluorescence. These populations can be related to the relative branching ratio into the 6p1/2εd5/2 and 6p1/2εg7/2 continuum channels. Rydberg states with n=16-23 have similar branching ratios, producing approximately six times as much 6p1/2εd5/2 population as 6p1/2εg7/2 population
