Reevaluation of the transition-moment function and Einstein coefficients for the N2(A 3Σ+u–X 1Σ+g) transition

Abstract

We have measured the relative intensities of the nitrogen Vegard–Kaplan bands N2(A 3Σu+–X 1Σg+) for transitions covering a range in r centroids between 1.22 and 1.48 Å. With this data we constructed a relative electronic transition moment function that diverges significantly from previously reported functions. We place our data on an absolute basis by normalizing our relative function by the experimentally determined Einstein coefficient for the v′=0 to v″=6 transition. Combining our normalized data from 1.22 to 1.48 Å with absolute transition moment data measured by Shemansky between 1.08 and 1.14 Å results in a function covering the range between 1.08 and 1.48 Å. The radiative lifetimes calculated from this function are longer than those currently accepted by amounts varying between 25% for v′=0%–50% for v′=4–6.