Radiative Lifetimes for the2pπΠu3State of the Hydrogen Molecule

Abstract

A calculation is made of the radiative electric dipole transition probabilities coupling the vibrational levels of the $2p\ensuremath{\pi}^{3}\ensuremath{\Pi}_{u}$ and the $2s\ensuremath{\sigma}^{3}\ensuremath{\Sigma}_{g}$ electronic states of hydrogen. The radiative lifetimes for those vibrational levels lying above the ground state are found to be approximately 100 \ensuremath{\mu}sec. The lifetime of the ground vibrational level, decaying by magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole emissions, is estimated to be 1 msec. Finally, a calculation is made of the dependence of the radiative lifetimes upon an external electric field.