Collision-induced rotational transitions in electronically excited states: the application of dipole-type selection rules to SO 2 (Ã 1A 2)

Abstract

Collision-induced rotational energy transfer from selected J', K' a levels of electronically excited SO ∗ 2 (Ã 1A 2, E-band) has been monitored by the pressure dependence of rotationally resolved fluorescence emission. “Propensities” for collision-induced transitions of Δ K' a = +1 or Δ K' a = −1 occur with state-to-state cross sections of ≈ 50 Å 2, obeying dipole-type selection rules.